Secrets
by squeekness
Summary: Secrets are a dangerous thing as Logan is about to find out. Part 15 of my Kimble series.
1. Chapter 1

Summary : Secrets are a dangerous thing as Logan is about to find out. Part 15 of my Kimble series.

Notes : Rated M for language, violence, and sexual situations.

AU but only because I chose to change a few things in my dear friends' histories for simplification, nothing drastic so please forgive. I've been working on this story for years so I do ask that you don't use any of my non-Marvel universe characters without my permission. I love my Siskans as I do my children.

For those who are interested, art for Misbehavin' and Steppin' out have been added to my webpage.

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(One)

"I 'tought Anya say Kimble gonna be 'ere, man. Dere ain't nuthin' 'appenin at dis place," Remy complained. It was getting cold and he was damp out here on the boat.

The X-men's resident thief was currently located just outside of the warehouse Anya had predicted Kimble would be located at this night. It was only minutes after the big fight at Cameron's hideout and Gambit had not yet been notified of its outcome.

The X-men were a large team and had many assets. They had come out to the harbor in a medium sized fishing boat, one of a few boats that Charles had purchasedfor various purposes over the years. It was full dark now and the only good thing about all this is that they were sure to have a good view for the fireworks. They were due to start any minute now.

"It's still early," Fallen said softly. She didn't want to be reminded of what the old woman had foretold. Her whole body was tense, sensing trouble in the air. She had a terrible nagging feeling that clung about her all day. She was still groggy from the drugs she had used recently and her spirts couldn't be lower. Remy was good, Remy was strong, yet she took no comfort from his presence.

Gambit looked up and scowled when Rogue and Storm dropped down from above, landing on the prow and rocking the boat a little. They had been circling the warehouse in shifts, looking for any activity, so far everything had been quiet. Remy tried to keep his balance as he said, "Easy, easy, girls. Dis ain't no night ta send de Cajun fo' a swim!"

"Didn't anyone tell ya ta keep your radio on, Sugah?" Rogue complained.

"Damp got to it. Dat's Scott's job, maintainin' the boat. Complain to 'im." He saw their excited eyes and went to work. "What's goin' on?"

"Saby jumped Kimble at Cameron's hideout. Kyle flew him out and took him to some rich guy's house. They jumped in a limo with Cameron and they're headed here. Should be pullin' up any minute."

Kurt and Angel had tailed the retreating Kyle Franks to a large house nearby, keeping a steady radio contact with the rest of the team. Cameron had gone visiting some friends and Kyle crashed the party, demanding they all high tail it out of there. They all piled into Cameron's large limo and came here, a safehouse for the Freedom Kings. Supposedly no one knew about it and Cameron considered it safe from prying eyes, in this case incorrectly. The X-men were watching it very closely.

Gambit turned with his binoculars back to the warehouse. He smiled with satisfaction when he saw Cameron's long stretch limo pull up and a very disheveled looking Kyle Franks got out. He reached into the car and eased Kimble out, lifting him up into his arms like a child. Kimble was bundled up in a blanket, his poor condition was obvious to all. He was still in shock from Gail's horrible murder and lying still and lifeless against his team leader.

Remy swore and put the binoculars down. "Didn't say nuthin' 'bout Kim bein' 'urt, chere!" he snapped at Rogue who only sneered at him. The tension between the two of them was palpable.

"You didn't ask."

"What 'appened, Stormy?" Remy asked, no longer bothering with Rogue. She clearly was too immature in this moment to handle the job and her mouth at the same time.

"Jean said that Kimble was with a girl on the roof. Sabertooth shot her. She died right in front of him." Her report was a stiff statement of facts, but her eyes showed that she was sympathetic. Words and emotion would come later, right now, they had work to do. "She didn't know if Kimble himself was actually injured, only that he might be in shock."

Remy's face contorted in pain and rage, but he said nothing, not daring himself to speak as he thought of Sabretooth's cruelty. That fucking monster. Some freaks just never changed.

"Stormy, you an' Rogue check out de buildin'. Give me one of your radios, s'il vous plait. Don't do anyt'ing, not till we know fo sure what's goin' on, comprenez?"

Storm nodded and tossed him her radio. She watched as Rogue took off without saying a word and lagged a moment behind, wanting to say something, anything to take that look off of Remy's face.

He saw her there and his face softened. "Je suis bien, chere. Really. We gonna get my Kimble, bring 'im 'ome an' put all dis to rights."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek to let him know she really cared and took off, making him step back a pace from the gust of her winds as she lifted off into the night. She was truly beautiful to behold, an ebon goddess in every sense of the word and he loved her. She was still one of his closest friends and he was glad she was here. She had a cool head unlike the tempestuous Rogue. Storm would help him through this. He would not let Kimble down.

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Logan prowled through the alley, coming up on the warehouse from the back. He knew he had been ordered to stay away but his arrogance wouldn't stand for it. He was an in control kind of guy, he chuckled to himself, fuck 'em. How dare the Professor suggest he wasn't capable of doing his job properly. Okay, Kimble was a little snot nosed brat, spoiled rotten to the core, it wouldn't keep him from doing his job. He was here to support the team, he didn't actually have to do anything. He was back up, insurance that this wasn't going to blow up in their faces.

Logan found a broken window and tumbled noiselessly into the building. One good sniff told him this building hadn't been used much lately but was full of people now. He could hear them milling around in the distance. He would have to be careful.

He'd brought a radio with him but left it off, not wanting to give himself away from the chatter. He would do a quick search, if he found anything, he would radio it in. That's all.

He made his way through a couple of rooms, drawing ever nearer to the voices there. He was stealthy and quiet, but hopeful that he wouldn't have to go too far into enemy territory. He didn't want to alert the sentries and start a big fight. He paused when he heard the sharp whine of old brakes and heard a door slam. A large car had pulled up and some more people were blabbing outside. He clearly recognized Kyle Frank's voice and then smiled when heard a low moan. Even in disheveled condition, Wolverine knew that voice as well. Kimble had just arrived.

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Kyle carried Kimble into the warehouse and into one of the small offices on the first floor. He lay Kimble down on a musty old couch and wrapped him up. Immediately, the pilot rolled over and away from him, still sobbing. He was devastated. Leon had given him a charge in the car on the way here and repaired the damage done to him from the bullets he'd taken on the rooftop, but he was still injured in a way plasma could never heal. Kyle held him, offering comfort. Kimble lay balled up and wasn't acknowledging his efforts.

It was in this moment of fragility that Kyle became absolutely certain Cameron had made a mistake in his assessment of Kimble. There was no way the Lover could ever be a warrior, not when he was breaking from a loss such as this. That didn't mean he couldn't be part of the team and Kyle still wanted to help him. He wasn't certain how to do that exactly so he tried to comfort Kimble as best he could.

"Kim, don't do this. None of this was your fault."

"She wuz shot right in front 'a me!" Kimble bawled. "I seen the red light an' didn' know what it wuz! If I wuz payin' 'ttention like I wuz suppozta, I woulda known she wuz gonna die! I coulda stopped it!"

Kyle sighed. There was no room for argument on that score. Kimble was absolutely right. Michael was meticulous in class and red laser sights were always brought up. It had been discussed many times and Kimble had repeatedly blown it off. "Maybe now you understand what we've been trying to teach you."

Kimble sobbed. "I cain't be yer ShaRain! Yer stupid protector! I cain't do nuthin'!"

"Don't give up on me, son. Everybody has setbacks, even the best of heroes. We all do our share of screwing up and you're not the first to ever lose a comrade over it. The thing is not to give up, not to let it stop you from fulfilling your destiny. You can still be a part of us," Kyle said, a little hope still in his voice.

Kimble disagreed. He turned back to look at Kyle, his face wet with tears. "I ain't gots no destiny. This ain't what I wuz meant for. I wuz made ta fuck, that's it. It's the only thing I ever done rightI ain't no warrior, no hero, no matter what you an' Cameron think."

"I find that awfully hard to believe, but if it helps, most of our destiny is what we make for ourselves. You could still be that hero, if you really want to be."

Kimble turned his head away and buried it in the pillow. He was exhausted and wanted only to have this day to do all over again so he could have Gail back. He wanted to be a million miles away.

Kyle nodded at Leon who had come to the doorway. "Dose him high. I want him to sleep."

Leon came close and tossed a good sized ball of plasma at Kimble. The pilot grunted as it impacted him and shuddered with a small laugh in spite of his grief. He opened his eyes, but his pupils were huge and glassy, he wasn't really awake. They slid closed after a minute and the pilot began to softly snore. Kyle ruffed his hair and walked away, satisfied Kimble would rest for a while.

He walked away from Kimble and his misery through the rickety building, not really trusting it. This old warehouse was well used and barely standing, it hadn't been used for anything useful in months. The floor creaked under his feet, making him constantly on edge. He hated this place.

Kyle was determined to have a talk with Cameron as soon as possible. Kimble was just about done, one more rude shock and he was going to collapse. Cameron was just going to have to face facts, Kimble wasn't even close to pulling off the destiny his boss had planned for him.

Kyle entered one of the larger rooms on the way to where Cameron as waiting for him when something out of place caught his eye. One of the rear doors was ajar, it had been shut when he passed through here before. He paused and tensed, using all of his senses to try and feel the room. It wasn't enough. He vaulted up into the air and utilized his height for a better look around. He saw a quick flash of movement behind some crates and used his telekinetic power to quickly snare his fleeing prey. He raised a bristling, snarling Wolverine up into the air.

Kyle held the man at a safe distance and sneered, "Well, well, well. Look what the cat drug in. It's not like you to be caught so easily, old man. You're losing your touch."

Logan was pissed. He hadn't been prepared for how quickly Kyle had sensed his presence. He had been prowling around, but the warehouse was like a maze. It was filled with crates, most of them old and rotting. He had gotten lost and was back tracking when he heard Kyle approach. Wind from an open window nearby was blowing against him, he hadn't known who was coming. He did the usual duck and cover, but it wasn't good enough to evade this powerful telekinetic, the one form of mutation he struggled the most to defend himself against. He didn't answer Kyle's challenge but popped his claws just for ritual. He wasn't going to let this twerp get the best of him.

Kyle flew closer and sniffed at him. He knew Logan well enough, so he did. They had butted heads more than once back on the Xavier campus, Kyle had been one of Wolverine's students in one of the many martial arts classes the feral man had taught. They had clashed early, neither one seeing the other's point of view on politics or fighting. Kyle was certain Wolverine hadn't missed him even once since the day he'd left.

Kyle grinned at his prey. "Lose someone and now you've come looking, huh? What a drag. Maybe Kimble had enough of your bullshit and pathetic attitude just as I did. Do you have any idea how many of your recruits we pick up that wander? Ever wonder why that is?"

"Cuz it's always harder doin' what's right. But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you? Doin' things the right way!" Logan sneered, showing Kyle his teeth.

Kyle just laughed at him. "You haven't changed a bit. Still as much of an asshole as you ever were." He dropped down to the ground, but left Logan hovering in the air looking awkward and stupid. Kyle whistled sharply and two of Cameron's big bullies came running.

Kyle glowered at them. "Remind me again why Cameron pays you? It took me all of two seconds to find this guy, what's your excuse?"

"Nobody told us anyone was coming," the largest one said petulantly.

"The Club was just blown up by Creed and his flunkies, you moron! Hello!"

"Sorry, boss."

Kyle just grinned irritably and sighed. He used his power to slam Logan to the floor, praying it would be enough to stun him. There was a groan as the building shook from the impact, but it didn't fall. Kyle cursed this stupid junky warehouse, they were all going to get killed.

Logan grunted loudly and wheezed, but refused to pass out. The two men snatched at him and he tried to slash at them, but Kyle held him tight, squeezing the breath out of him by hardening the air all around him. Healing factor or no, he could still suffocate. Logan finally blacked out and they dragged him off, never seeing Rogue who hovered in the nearby window.

Rogue flew off quickly, looking for Storm, they had gotten separated after leaving the boat. She was going to need some backup for this one, Kyle was powerful and not alone. She knew she should call in to Remy about this, but stubbornly refused to. She had seen the look on Gambit's face when he saw Kimble was wounded. The last thing he needed to hear was that Wolverine had showed up after all. In spite of her gruff attitude, she really was worried about Gambit and knew he was suffering. She still loved him, even if he was a lying scumbag no good thief, she chuckled softly to herself. She would go save Logan and drag his furry ass out of here before Gambit even found out. All she had to do was grab Storm and figure out where they had taken Logan. No problem.


	2. Chapter 2

(Two)

Kimble had fallen asleep only to wake a short time later, too hot and drunk from the plasma to keep still. The warehouse was mostly empty so when he decided to wander off, he hadn't been seen. He wasn't looking for anyone in particular, he was just looking for some place quiet where he could find a cool breeze. Of course he had no idea that he was fulfilling a spoken prophecy with each step.

He made his way slowly and phased through a wall into what looked like some kind of holding area or storage room. He blinked in a daze when he saw Wolverine fastened to the wall, not quite sure if he could believe what he was seeing. Logan had been strung up with twisted metal rods no normal human could have bent with his own hands, he looked like he'd been incorporated into some kind of sick, living sculpture. Kimble was stoned, but could still understand that someone had done this telekinetically. Logan was hung in such a way that even if he could pop his claws, he couldn't hack himself free. Wolverine was strong but didn't possess enough strength to bend the metal to get loose, certainly not from such an awkward position. Blood still dripped from his mouth, whomever had done this had only just left him and he hadn't had much time to recover yet. They had beaten him with a crow bar, it lay in its own pool of blood as if they had wounded it as well. The man hung there limply, he didn't appear to be conscious.

Kimble shuffled over to Logan and sniffed at him in curiosity. It was hard for him to think clearly with the plasma buzzing so pleasantly inside of his head. The last thing he expected was to see Wolverine dangling from the wall.

The sight of Logan hanging there so helplessly sent Kimble's caregiver gears right into action. He didn't think twice about it as he went to a nearby sink and wet a towel. He used it to clean the blood from Logan's face, working gently and carefully, grimacing at the bruises there and the cuts. So much pain. Who had done this? He was still too naive to believe Kyle or anyone else on his team capable of such brutality.

Logan didn't appear to wake and Kimble wondered if this was a dream. He knew he was very high and the world around him was kind of grey and fuzzy around the edges. Still, the man before him seemed real enough to the touch. He believed Logan was out cold so he began to mumble softly, "Whatcha doin' here, old man? Hope ya wuzn't lookin' fer me. I ain't lost no more. Nope, not me. Not no more..."

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Logan came out of his fog at the sound of Kimble's voice, but didn't open his eyes. This wasn't the first time he'd been severely beaten like this. It happened to him once or twice a year, his over-confidence getting the best of him and allowing him to get caught by some asshole with a point to make. His body instinctively knew to keep quiet and let his senses get an idea of what was going on around him before he opened his eyes and gave himself away. He was surprised to hear Kimble's voice, even more so when he felt himself being cleaned. Kimble's touch was gentle and careful, it felt more comforting and soothing than he would ever admit to anyone. He was in pain and it was nice to have someone there who knew it.

He could tell right away something was different about Kimble. His words were even more slurred than usual and his body was hot. The heat wafted off of him like he had a fever and he had a smell now, too. Almost like burnt plastic. Logan had smelled this before, but in his present condition, couldn't remember where. Something had been done to Kimble to make him different.

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Kimble carefully moved Logan's head to one side to wipe blood that had leaked from a large gash on the back of Logan's head. The cut had almost closed itself now but the blood clung in his hair, matting it.

"Why didja come here, huh? Thoughtcha hated ol' Kimble's guts," Kimble mumbled, more to himself than to Logan. He paused in his work, looking into the face of this man who seemed to hate him so inexplicably. He put his hand on Logan's cheek and touched his face, wondering at the roughness of it.

"Fallen sez yer real old, even older than me," Kimble whispered. Logan's lack of response had emboldened him to speak freely. "She sez yer life ain't nuthin but pain an' sufferin'. I kin sees it there, feel it right here in my hand. I kin helps ya. I kin takes yer pain, it's what I do. I kin takes yer pain..." Kimble leaned in close and kissed Logan tenderly on the mouth, his plasma stupor robbing him of his better judgement.

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Logan freaked the moment Kimble's lips had touched his own. Of all the possible things he might have anticipated Kimble would do, that had been the furthest thing from his mind. Logan twisted with a snarl and bit at Kimble's face. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He knew Kimble was sick, that he was a sexual freak, but this was too much.

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Kimble squealed in pain as Logan's teeth cut into him. He jerked his head away, tearing his skin. Grey blood gushed from the tear, but not for long. He was so charged from the plasma that it sealed itself, leaving only a jagged scar. It was still very painful. He heard Logan swear and the growl that came from him like a rabid dog. Kimble staggered back in shock and almost fell. The room swirled around him in a jumble until he steadied himself, his arms out like a drunk walking a chalk line.

"You ever do that ta me again, ya sick fuck, an' I'll kill you!" Logan snarled, spit and blood flying from his mouth. He spat again, not wanting Kimble's taste in his mouth. Kimble's gel was sickly sweet and not what he'd expected. It didn't taste like blood at all.

Kimble recovered and came back to his tormentor cautiously. He came as close as he dared and probed Logan with his eyes, searching for an answer to the question that had been bugging him almost since the first day they'd met. From the beginning, Logan had treated Kimble's sexual nature like it was a disease, an evil sickness. Why? He was still quite stoned, but it came to him. A tiny thread of thought, like a whisper. It had come from Logan's lips and his teeth.

"S-somebody hurt you like that, didn' they?"

Logan growled, showing Kimble his teeth.

"Didja know who it wuz, huh? Didja know who it wuz that raped ya?"

"No one's ever done that ta me!" Logan denied bitterly, his eyes just a little too wild.

"He did it ta try an' breaks ya, but it didn' work out so good fer him, right? Ya killed him after, didn'tcha? Ya hunted him down and ripped his heart out."

"Shut up!"

Kimble smiled up at Wolverine sadly. "You cain't lie no better than me. It's there right behind yer eyes. I been seein' it all along when ya looked at me, but I just couldn't figger it out. Not right away. I had ta gits a little closer ta finds it, butcha never let no one in real close, huh? No one ever touches you."

"Shut up!"

"Naw, I don't think so. You think cuz I like ta fuck so much that I'm like him, huh? Yer just like Leon. He hates me, too. He got raped by some gay guy. Now he thinks all gay guys wanna rape people. He thinks I wanna rape him, but I ain't never even touched him. Never wanted to but it don' matter. The one that hurtcha? The one that did that awful thing to ya? I ain't like that, never have been. I ain't never took from someone what didn't wanna give it ta me."

Logan listened to Kimble's feeble denial and his rage spilled over him like a red hot wave. He completely forgot that the whole point of his being here was to find Kimble and bring him home. All he wanted to do now was punish this stupid little jackass who'd discovered his horrible secret. The one he'd never told anyone, not even himself except when things got all black and cloudy.

He yanked fiercely on his trapped limbs but the twisted metal held him securely. "You ain't nuthin' but a sick perverted little freak! All ya do is take! Ya see what ya want and ya just fuckin' take it! I seen ya doin' it with Holly and I know ya did it with Bobby, too! Ya saw whatcha wanted and ya made 'em give it to ya. Yer like some kinda fuckin' vampire! Ya use 'em! Trap 'em with yer eyes or somethin' an' fuck with their minds! Ya use that stupid charm power ya got! Ya wear 'em down till ya get yer sick little kicks! That's no better than takin' it by force!"

"I didn't hurt nobody!"

"Doesn't matter! Ya tricked 'em sure as shit. Yer a fuckin' vampire! Fuckin' monster! Yer no better than ---" Logan choked on his own spit, unable to finish it. He was beyond angry now and into a whole other realm of enraged. The world around him was starting to fade away into the red and he was close to going over into that place where the bad things happened. The place where he woke up covered in blood with no memory of how it got there. He caught his breath, trying to hold onto his sanity. He wasn't sure it was a battle he could win.

Kimble was confused and more than a little angry himself now. All this man had ever done was insult him and put him down. It was so unfair! "Than who, huh? The guy what done that horrible thing to ya? I'd never do that!"

"Than what were ya doin just now?" Logan growled, his eyes mean and hard.

"Nuthin! I wuz-- I wuz---" But of course, he had been doing something. He'd tried to take Logan's pain while he believed Logan to be unconscious. But what did that mean exactly? To take their pain. To steal their love. He'd been doing it all along hadn't he? Just like Logan said. Bruce in Station Nine, Holly and Bobby at Xavier's. He'd used his power the same way he helped those in pain. Would any of them have succumbed to him without him pressing his will? The answer stabbed into him like an ice cold pick, ripping into his heart and flooding him with revulsion.

Kimble backed away as tears suddenly spilled from his eyes. He was trembling violently now and slid his arms around himself, choking on the bitter pill that Logan had forced him to swallow. His mind was reeling from the heightened plasma horror of his own actions and accepted Logan's angry facts as truths. He was a rapist, a selfish molester of innocents. There was no worse crime, not for what he was. He coughed and gagged, clutching at his throat.

_**Junta bay**, I told ya so..._came a soft whisper from within. Lakotashay was in pain, knowing the truth when she heard it. Logan's words struck a chord deep inside.

"Nnooo...it ain't true..it ain't true...I ain't bad!" Kimble denied, shouting out loud in his agony. He refused to believe he had broken the most sacred of rules. It would mean he was a monster of the worst sort and that was more than his fragile psyche could bear.

Logan watched as Kimble disintegrated emotionally and was filled with a surge of happiness. Finally he'd broken this pathetic little twerp, made him see himself for the monster that he was. Now... now justice would be served. The sick bastard put in his place. He couldn't stop the smile of glee that split his face.

"Don't take his shit, Kimble!" Zander snarled."Make him pay! **Punish** him!"

Kimble nodded and closed his eyes. He created a telekinetic shield from thin air and broke it into pieces. He snarled and swept the shards out away from him at Logan with a broad wave of his hand.

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Wolverine had been startled by the voice that came from Kimble's mouth. In his crumbling mental state, Kimble had spoken Zander's words aloud. It sent a shiver of shock and surprise through Logan that immediately brought him to his senses like ice cold water on his face. What had he been thinking? What was he doing? Cripes! He was dangerously close to blowing this whole thing!

He recognized Zander's voice, Kimble had growled it at him once on the Lucky Dragon on the way here from Cerise. He'd had Logan in a head lock and was prematurely crowing his victory. Wolverine had thought then Kimble had just been excited, but he was beginning to think differently about that now. _Punish him_, Zander had said. It brought back Anya's warning. This was something he hadn't anticipated. He had expected Kimble to fight him, not fall apart. He watched Kimble's breakdown and he started to feel a little guilty. He saw Kimble go from defensive, to horrified, to angry in less than a minute. It was scary watching his emotions change so quickly. He knew Kimble had been unstable, it was even worse now.

He saw Kimble work his telekinetic magic and jerked reflexively when the shards came flying at him. He remembered Kimble's horrific defense in the Danger Room and flinched, bracing for the pain. He was surprised when the shards flew out and slashed not through his body, but through the metal rods that held him. It wasn't a mistake, Kimble's aim had been perfect and skillful. Kimble had been practicing.

Logan fell in a heap of tangled limbs onto the floor, his body a bit numb from pain and from hanging like that. He got to his feet with a groan and looked at Kimble with mixed feelings. Logan was still humiliated and furious, but Kimble had deliberately but inexplicably freed him. What now?

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"Kills him!" Zander shouted out of Kimble's mouth. He was outraged at what Kimble had done, their tormentor should be dead, not free from his bonds. "Shuts his fuckin' face ferever!"

"No!" Kimble snarled, shoving Zander's bid for control down. He was crumbling, but he wanted desperately to stay in control. Zander couldn't be trusted. "I ain't no killer!"

"Kimble, yer a mess," Logan said, horrified by the argument raging inside of Kimble's mind. He stood and dusted off, trying to get this back on track. "Come home an' we can fix this."

"Stay away from me!" Kimble breathed at him, his eyes still flooding over with tears. "I hates you! Yer the freak, not me! I ain't broken no more!"

"Yer comin' with me," Logan insisted. He wished Henry was here, he just didn't have the skills to talk the crazies down. He was a brawler, not a shrink. His head was clear now, the red rage gone. He had to think now, think damnit! He had to figure out how he was going to pull this together before it was too late.

"No," Kimble said, turning away. "I gots some folks now what care about me. They wants me. They accepts me fer who I am. Kyle sez I'm gonna be a hero! I'm gonna be better than alla yous an' evraone's gonna love me! I kin helps people! I takes their pain! I kin show you!" He reached out again with his hands to touch, letting go a little with his power. If he could just make Logan see...

Wolverine shrank away from him, not wanting any of it. He could feel the wave of love that came from Kimble but was repulsed by it, thinking it false. It was a trick, a lure, and he wasn't about to fall for it. "Kyle's so full of shit it's comin' outta his ears! I don't know where he got that line he was feedin' you, but I can tell you this fer free. Heroes don't run around talkin' to themselves. Yer still split an' yer throwin' spikes at people! What kinda hero does that? Yer sick in the head and ya need help!"

Kimble felt a surge of pain at the rejection and was furious at the accusation he was less than okay. "I ain't split!"

"No, then who's that talkin' inside of yer head, huh? It sure as hell ain't Seth."

Kimble shuddered again as Zander howled his rage from deep inside. Kimble swallowed him down, just barely. "I ain't split. I jus' git carried away sometimes when I gits mad. It don' mean anathin'. I'm gonna be a real hero jus' like yous guys only better, you'll see!" Kimble insisted, calming his voice a little.

"They're just usin' you. Look at you, yer all fucked up!"

"What do you care? You say the Kings an' Brotherhood is evil cuz they hurts evrabody, now you sayin' the same shit 'bout me. Guess I'm right where I belong!" Kimble shouted, losing his tenuous grasp on his control. He knew Logan was right about his inexcusable behavior and couldn't deny it any longer. He was so bad...so very bad.

Logan rubbed his arms numbly, feeling really guilty now. "I didn't say you were evil."

"Yes, ya did!" Kimble wiped at his face uselessly as the tears came anew. He was hitching and bawling now. "You said I wuz a freak! That I takes without askin'! **That I rapes people**! That's **junta bay**! The worst evil in the world!"

"Look, Kimble--"

"No! Maybe yer right an' I do steals it, but maybe that's cuz anaone that's ever jus' given it ta me ends up dead! Dead! They're all dead cuz a me!"

"What're ya talkin' about?"

"Sheyman an' Gail! I touched 'em an theys all ended up dead!"

Logan shook his head at this new bout of twisted logic. For a person who supposedly had a computer for a brain, Kimble's mind was all over the place. "You didn't kill Sheyman! He got sick and Gail got rubbed out by Creed! You didn't have anything to do with it!"

"She wuz in love with me! Jeez! I'm like some kind a fuckin' disease! It ain't safe ta be round me! If I ain't rapin' em, they's dyin' all over me! I cain't go back, I don' wanna see Remy's dead face lookin' back at me! He loves me...he...Oh, no!" he couldn't finish as he lost all control. The thought of Remy's possible death at his hands was too much.

Logan felt a jolt of fear stab his guts as Anya's prediction of his failure came back to haunt him. This was turning into a nightmare. "It ain't like that, kid. None of that was yer fault. Come back with me!"

"No! I cain't let nuthin' happens ta Remy! He's the only one what ever cared about me!" Kimble sobbed, covering his face as he gave up everything. "I won't let him die cuz a me!"

"Aw, enough of this fuckin' crap!" Zander finally howled and took over, growling angrily.

Logan took an uncertain step back as Kimble's whole body posture changed and Zander's words slapped at him again. The pilot stood now with full confidence of his abilities and his hands started to glow faintly orange. He looked at his accuser with eyes filled with rage and power and Logan knew Kimble was gone, Zander was all done with the back seat and had taken the reins. This guy was completely out of control and Logan had no idea what to expect. That burnt plastic smell grew stronger and Logan realized he was smelling the plasma energy that was stored up inside of Kimble's body. Logan had known more than one plasma producer and with a clear head, now recognized what that smell had meant. Zander stood in front of him glowering, the picture of pure rage and uncontrolled fury. He was standing tall and snarling insanely, his hands fisted and clenching tightly as the glowing in his hands became more bright.

Logan put a hand out defensively, concerned that Zander might be able to fire a blast of plasma. He would probably survive it, but it wouldn't be fun. "Take it easy there, fella. I ain't gonna hurtcha."

"Liar! All ya done is hurts us since the firs' time we ever laid eyes on ya! You think yer so fuckin' superior cuz yer real an' all! What a fuckin' joke! I'm ten times the power you are! I'm so fuckin' sick of ya hurtin' Kimble all the time! This is all yer fault!" Zander shouted and launched himself at Logan.

Wolverine had nowhere to go. He screamed as he was pinned against the back wall with a telekinetic shove and Zander's hands came against his shoulders. They were glowing brightly now, filled with red hot plasma. Logan howled as his flesh was burned instantly and struggled uselessly against this powerful spirit. Zander laughed with glee at his prisoner's agony, happy to finally be showing this pathetic human who was boss around here. Spit flew from his mouth as he laughed at Logan's pain and enjoyed it. He increased the flow of plasma to his hands, turning up the heat even more.

"Kimble, stop this! You ain't no killer!" Logan wheezed as the flesh melted away over his shoulders. The agony was indescribable and he screamed again, unable to control his pain.

Zander shuddered and for a moment there was a look of startled surprise on his face as Kimble returned. Logan's cry of pain had been enough to bring the Lover around. "Oh, Jeez!" Kimble shrieked and jerked back, horrified at what Zander had done. He looked at his orange glowing hands in terror and wailed. "Oh, no! No. No! NO! Arrgghhh!"

"Kimble yer a mess. I don' know what they done to ya but we can fix this. Come back with me," Logan said, still on the job even as the smell of his own cooked flesh made him gag. His healing factor was kicking in, but burns took longer than most other injuries. He glanced quickly, saw he'd been burned down to the bone and decided that one look was enough. He was going to hurt for a long time.

Kimble shivered and shook as he wrestled with his inner demons, struggling hopelessly for control. He was a monster, a freak. He was a rapist and a murderer. For one moment, Kimble desperately wanted to be gone, to be done with it all. He wished for death, for release from this nightmare that his life had become.

His prayer was answered. He gasped sharply when there was a blinding flash of light only he could see and then everything went quiet. He cried out from the sudden blissful release of all of his pain and stood up straight, trembling. He wasn't in the warehouse, not anymore. He was now back in the circle of light in his personal Black Room, but on the edge now and chained as the others had been before. A huge floating screen in front of him showed a Kimble's eye view of the events still going on outside of the body. Zander was next to him, nearly busting a gut to get to loose. It wasn't doing him any good. He looked back at Kimble, the Lover, and spat at him.

"Nice work, boy. Nice. Ya know she's gonna kill us now, right?"

---------------------------------------

Logan stood still, sensing some kind of change, but wasn't sure what to make of it. Kimble had frozen in place as if some kind of switch had been thrown. He slowly came back to life, blinking around him uncertainly.

"Kimble?"

"Not quite," came the reply. The voice was high and feminine.

"Fuck!" Wolverine muttered. The Quitter.

Kimble's body was moving, but he was no longer in it. Even Logan could easily see the change by the difference in his posture and attitude. If the pilot had had a personal odor, Logan didn't doubt that his scent would have changed as well, the difference was that profound. The Quitter stood up straight and stretched, fully released from her prison finally. She took a deep calming breath and wiped at her chin, the plasma glow fading from her fists. She shook her head back and released her hair with a smooth graceful movement, letting it flow free and lovely about her shoulders. She swept her bangs back with an elegant gesture, as if her fingers were dancing, and tucked them behind her ears. She then cleared her throat and regarded Logan with a small smile. Her eyes were not sad as depicted in Kimble's drawings. No, she had moved beyond that, being no longer trapped. She looked at him not with rage or pain, but with a cold dead nothing.

"Kimble?" he asked uncertainly.

The Quitter just shook her head. "I oughtta thanks ya, really. I been listenin' ta those two fer a long time now. They just don' quit. I loves ya, I hates ya. It all just gits ta be too much after a while. I been tellin' 'em there's a better way, but they just don' listen ta me. Prob'ly jus' 'cause I'm a girl an' all."

"Come back with me," Wolverine said uselessly. He could see by the emptiness in her eyes that it was far too late for that.

"Nawr. I'll jus' bet I gots my ticket outta here if I looks around enough. Gonna go see my father an' it's all gonna be good again."

"What are ya talkin' about?"

The pilot turned to one side and let loose with a huge telekinetic pulse, ripping out the wall and part of the ceiling on one side of the room. The noise was deafening and debris flew everywhere. Logan cursed and shivered as frigid ocean air streamed in, chilling them both.

The Quitter didn't seem to care. She turned to Logan and said, "I setcha free, now go. Tell the others ta stop lookin' fer us. Kimble's dead."

"Kimble, wait!"

"Kimble's dead!"

Logan grunted as the pilot flew at him suddenly, scooping him up recklessly by his hair and one of his arms. Logan howled with pain as they flew out into the darkness, unused to such rough handling while being flown. His shoulders were one huge agony.

He tried to shout for Kimble to listen, pleading with him to understand that he'd just been shocked and surprised that Kimble had read him so easily. He didn't mean to precipitate the breakdown that led to whatever was happening now, but it did him no good. He felt a giddy rush of vertigo as Lakotashay violently tossed him out to sea, towards the boat.

He sailed out over the water, watching it rush by in a daze and then feeling it cut into him like a thousand sharpened knives as he smashed down into it. His lungs filled with water and he sank down, momentarily stunned from the impact. He roused a bit and kicked for the surface, his shoulders screaming the whole way. He broke free with a gasp, coughing and spluttering.


	3. Chapter 3

(Three)

Kyle ran through the rickety building, his heart thundering in his chest. He'd heard Kimble blasting out the wall of the holding cell without knowing for sure what it was. Kyle knew Logan was there, he had been the one to string him up, after all. His first thought was that other X-men had arrived to free their teammate. When he heard Lakotashay shout, "Kimble is dead!" he knew it was much worse than that.

Kyle used his power to break into the holding cell. He saw the open hole 'Shay had made and the pilot taking off. He watched as Logan was pitched off into space and Kimble disappearing off to the right. Kyle leapt out the window but missed where Kimble had gone next. Where? There! Kimble was just disappearing into the loading bay. The warehouse was large and there was a toolshed and a hazardous storage area down by the water. Kyle swooped down after him, hoping he wasn't too late.

--------------------------

Kyle never saw Rogue who hovered only a short distance away. She had never ended up finding Storm, she had done laps around this stupid building but they kept missing each other. She heard the noise Lakotashay had made as she tore the holding cell apart and flew right over. She now tailed Kyle as silently as she could.

She had seen Logan go flying, a fair toss by Kimble --- _poor Wolvie, snicker, snicker_ --- but wasn't worried. She knew Remy was close by in the boat and that Wolverine would get picked up. So much for her getting him out of this without Gambit knowing. Not much she could do about it now. She didn't know how badly Logan had been injured, but like most X-men, wasn't concerned. They all knew he could heal up and didn't give it much thought. Her target had shifted to Kyle now. She had decided to err on the side of caution and not interfere until she knew for sure what was going on.

She followed Kyle closely, doing her best not to be seen.

-----------------------------

Kyle landed quietly outside the open bay door, not wanting to startle Kimble by rushing in on him. He could hear Kimble throwing things around and making a mess, he hoped it was just Kimble having a hissy fit. Let him break a few things and then he'll calm down. Kyle didn't start to panic until he heard the splash and smelled the reek of kerosine. He ran then, oh yes. "Kimble!"

He rounded the bend and skidded to a stop.

The pilot stood in a pool of kerosine, an unlit flare in his hand.

"Easy, Kim. Easy. Just take a minute, son."

The pilot stood in place as if he hadn't heard. A single tear dripped down from his face and pitter patted down to the lake of death at his feet. It was only a sign of fear, of the coming pain. It was the promise of release from all of this insanity that kept him going and he had no intentions of stopping. He fingered the flare, trying to figure out how to set it off.

"What are you doin', Kim?"

"Gonna go see my father."

Kyle cursed softly when he heard the voice. It was that stupid little girl, Lakotashay. Kimble's hair was loose, making him seem smaller and more feminine. She had taken over more than just the pilot's voice this time, he could see. The thought of her being in total control made his guts hurt.

"Look, kid. I know you're upset, but this isn't what you want. What about the ShaRain? What about your angel?"

"Ain't no angels fer monsters like us." She lowered her hand, ready to drop the flare.

"Kimble! Wait! Don't do this! What did that asshole say to you?"

"He tol' Kimble we wuz bad. Some kinda fuckin' pervert. We tricks people inta givin' it up ta us," she replied calmly with a small smile. "He called Kimble a rapist, imagine that. The Lover a rapist. Kimble didn' take it too good. He gave up and now it's up ta me ta finish this."

Kyle's mind was racing. Obviously Kimble was taking this whole nightmare as a personal attack and was damaged more severely than he ever imagined. "Wait, Kimble. Listen to me. It isn't true. Just because he said it, doesn't make it right."

She just looked up at him. "Kimble is gone. He ain't ever cummin' back. There's only me now. We ain't no hero, no ShaRain. I'm **Lakotashay**. I'm just a pile of worthless dog shit, fuckin' rat puke jus' like Logan sez. That's what a rapist an' a killer is, y'know. Well this pile of puke is gonna end this, makes it all right again."

Kyle cursed again. Damn Leon and damn that stupid plasma. Yes, it bound Kimble to them, but it played such havoc with his emotions. Kimble been teetering on the edge for a while now and Gail's death and Logan's words had shattered him, all made possible by the plasma that made him so receptive to the empathic feelings of others he couldn't block out.

Lakotashay turned away from him again and examined the flare more closely. This was not a hard thing to figure out. It didn't take her long.

"Zander, help me!" Kyle found himself shouting with no other option immediately available.

'Shay just laughed at him and popped the flare. Kyle realized to his horror that the room they were in was filled with canisters with large labels on them, most of them reading "Hazardous" and "Flammable". This room was one huge bomb and Lakotashay was now the fuse. It was just a matter of seconds before the whole thing blew.

Less. Lakotashay threw her head back and screamed with joy at the coming blackness as she released the glowing flare.

--------------------------------------

Gambit was standing on the prow of the boat, looking through the binoculars. It was damp out here, the humidity from the bay getting into everything. He tried to ignore the wetness in the air as he checked out what was going on at the warehouse. He startled and rocked the boat just a little when he saw one wall of the building burst apart and Kimble fly out, Logan in tow. He watched as Kimble pitched Logan out towards them.

"Is that Logan?" Fallen asked from behind him.

"Yeah, I 'tink so," he replied, his body already starting to shake. He just knew this was going to be bad. "See de two of dem ain't changed a bit. What a surprise. We gotta go pick 'im up."

"Kimble looks okay," Fallen said nervously, hoping that Anya's prediction hadn't come to pass. "I mean, how bad could he be if he can fly?"

Remy wasn't so easily comforted. _He can lose one person and still be alive, understand?_ Anya had said. He shivered and gooseflesh broke out over his arms. He jumped down and started up the motor on the boat. He steered towards where Logan had splashed down.

Fallen turned on the spotlight and moved it out ahead of them. It took a few minutes but she found him, he was dog paddling unsteadily, barely afloat. They pulled up along side and Fallen hauled him up onto the boat.

"Are you all right?" Fallen asked. She passed her hands over him, shocked by the huge burns on his chest and shoulders.

"I'm fine!" Logan snarled more harshly than he had intended. He saw the hurt look in her eyes, but said nothing more. He pulled away and stumbled to the furthest spot away from the both of them. He sat down heavily and put his head in his hands, covering his face. His body was trembling from shock, his shoulders a huge throbbing ache. He was wasted.

"What happened to you?" Fallen asked again, but was shoved aside as Gambit came over and grabbed a handful of Logan's wet and dripping hair.

"You were told ta stay away! What you doin' 'ere? What did you say to 'im! You better 'ave some good news for me, mon ami!"

Logan just looked up into his eyes and Remy knew it then, he knew everything Anya said had come true. "You-you fucking asshole! You arrogant fils de la putain! You were told to stay away!" Remy snarled, his eyes already growing shiny as he struggled for control. "Baiser abruti! Vous morceau de merde!"

"I thought I could help...I thought I could..." Logan sputtered, but couldn't finish. The devastated look on Remy's face was too much.

"Is 'e dead? Is 'e gone?"

"I don't know...maybe. That little girl's got him."

Gambit snarled and turned away. He wanted to beat Wolverine senseless but knew it would accomplish nothing. He went back to the driver's seat of the boat and stood there as if waiting for a signal. The tears finally came and he turned away, not wanting the others to see him cry. What a stupid fucking waste. He should have known better than to think Logan could have been trusted. The man was stubborn, just like himself. After a moment he sighed and wiped at his face. He started up the boat and headed away. He wanted Logan out of here, away from his sight. He would come back for the girls.

----------------------------------

Logan stared off into the black foaming water streaming out behind the boat as they sped away. It had been a long time since he'd felt the darkness coming for him again, and he was certain it was on its way now. The last time was over a year ago. Now here it was again, swallowing him up. He closed his eyes, but all he could see was the face of the man who'd captured him and done that horrible twisted thing to him. Crazy John. Logan sighed and rubbed his temples. What had he been thinking the night the Dognan had taken them? That when you were as old and as experienced as he was, sooner or later everything happened to you. It all catches up to you when you're not looking.

The man's name was Crazy John. John hadn't wanted Logan sexually, no. He'd done it to break him. He'd been drawn in by Wolverine's reputation as the meanest cuss around. He wanted the challenge. Anybody could beat 'ol Logan up. Hell, everyone knew Creed had set him on fire once. Sabretooth had bragged loudly about it and that guy never boasted unless he'd done the deed himself. No, Crazy John wanted to do the undoable. He wanted Logan broken. Now, that would be a real accomplishment. Something to be proud of. John had set up cameras and everything to record the event as proof. He was going to show the world what a wuss Logan really was. He knew that Logan's testosterone laden ego would never be able to take it and he'd been right, just not in the way he'd expected.

Logan had been drugged heavily through most of it, but he was aware enough to know what was being done to him even if he couldn't stop it right away. Afterwards, when the deed was done and Logan had revived a little, he snapped. John had miscalculated the dosage of sedative and Wolverine broke free of his captor and hunted him down. He did quite a bit more than just rip Crazy John's heart out, oh yes. Logan was a killer, to be sure, but he was Merciful Death. Mr. Quick and Relatively Painless. Not that night. He'd ripped and shredded, then ripped and shredded some more. He dragged it out over several hours, feasting on the man's screams until he couldn't stand it any more. Later, there hadn't been anything left to identify. Didn't really matter, though. Crazy John still haunted him. He'd come unbidden from Logan's nightmares. Just one more to add to his large collection.

The thing was...what really frightened Wolverine about the whole thing, was his loss of control. Sabretooth and he had a long standing rivalry, most of which came from Creed's disdain over Logan's unwillingness to give into the beast. Creed lived for the hunt. He savored it, wanted to taste the blood and drink it all down. Logan refused. He was afraid that if he started down Sabretooth's dark path, he would never be free of it. That night, Wolverine had gone as close to that path as he had ever been. He had left the building, covered in blood. He had not eaten of his prey, but he had rolled in the man's carcass, wanting the smell of his death all over him. The thought of it now made his stomach lurch.

The fear of another total loss of control was not the only side effect of that terrible night. The sight of any sexual abuse was now more than Logan could bear. When he saw the files of Kimble's excessive persuasion of Bruce, he'd felt that sickening leaden weight in his guts. It had been there again when Kimble was kissing Holly, a girl of fourteen and a virgin. The idea of Kimble stealing her innocence was more than Logan's hair trigger temper could stand. He perceived Kimble as a thief, stealing what he wanted and using some kind of magic or hypnosis to do it. Didn't matter that his victims were unharmed. A monster who steals without pain was still a monster.

Logan felt his stomach heave, this time for real, and he was vomiting over the side of the boat. He felt awful now, sick. He gripped the rail with sweat slicked hands and almost went over himself. He felt Fallen grab at him and resisted the urge to lash out at her. "Let me go!"

"What's wrong with you?" Fallen asked, her concern obvious.

"Too much sea water," he said lamely, not even trying to cover the lie.

They both turned sharply when the building behind them suddenly exploded, the sound of it loud and thundering across the bay. First the loading bay, then the rest of it in a spectacular series of explosions, shooting fire up in the sky. Looks like they got to see fireworks after all.

Logan stood quickly, gripping the rails. "No!" he shouted, before he could stop himself. "Nnnooo!"

The fire and smoke billowed to the sky like a bright red accusation. Logan just knew that it was Kimble. It had to be. He'd done this horrible thing. He'd killed himself and it was all his fault.

Gambit stopped the boat and looked back at the fire, his eyes wide. He'd heard Logan shout and felt a searing pain in his guts. _Oh, no. Not this. Not this! Anya, you bitch!_ He gunned the engines and swung back around, heading back.


	4. Chapter 4

(Four)

Gambit's efforts to hurry were in vain. He had pushed the boat's motor to the limit as he plowed through the inky black waters of the bay, watching with a kind of detached horror as the warehouse loomed larger and larger as they drew near. He had no idea what to expect when he got there. He held some grim hope that Anya had predicted Kimble and he had some kind of future. He wouldn't have guessed at such a fate judging by the inferno he was so swiftly approaching.

Gambit turned and parked the boat with skill at a small dock just outside of the smoking warehouse. They were fortunate that the dock was far enough away from the explosion that it hadn't been damaged. He could hear sirens in the distance now, the city had been alerted to the disaster. It was kind of hard to miss, there was a plume of smoke and fire rising high into the sky.

It didn't take Remy long to see that they had rushed to the burning warehouse for nothing. The area where the explosion had originated was now a smoking ruin, whatever was combustible had ignited and burned out quickly, more than half of the building was gone, the rest was on fire. Cameron's safehouse was just a memory now. The Kings that survived the explosion fled, the unlucky ones were chunks on the ground.

Gambit jumped off the boat and ran up the wooden dock, dodging bits of flaming debris and ash that was swirling about in the air. He stood in front of the storage area just looking at it helplessly. He didn't even know where to begin looking for Kimble, it was too much of a mess in there. Gambit did his best just the same, scrambling madly through some of the wreckage and almost heaving his guts out from fear and the smell of burning things. He was looking for Kimble, his heart already knowing the Siskan was long gone even if his brain didn't.

Rogue had come to him then, blurting out what she had seen. She had caught just a glimpse of Kyle and Kimble talking just before the warehouse storage area had exploded. She had seen that Kimble had done a terrible thing, that he'd tried to destroy himself. There was no mistaking the intent of a man standing in kerosine with a lit flare. She had dodged the explosion, ready for it when it happened, and was quick enough to witness after that the pair had gotten out alive. Kyle clearly had used a telekinetic shield to protect himself and Kimble from the blast.

Rogue had been tossed away by the explosion that followed, her invulnerability the only thing keeping her from being badly burned. It never stopped her from doing her job, she had been too well trained for that. Kyle had pulled a wet and dripping Kimble from the water and took off to parts unknown. She wanted to chase after them, but the screams of the wounded and the trapped held her. She had let Kimble go to help dig out the survivors, she had been fast at work doing just that when Remy pulled up in the boat.

Remy snarled in frustration when Rogue was done telling him what had happened. He knew that even if the pilot's body hadn't been destroyed in the explosion, Kimble was still gone. Anya had pretty much spelled it out in her prediction -- _He can lose one and still be alive, understand? _she had said. Somehow, Logan's being there made it happen. Kimble had seen something in Logan that made Wolverine go crazy. Logan then went off on Kimble, frightening him enough that the Quitter had taken over the body forever. 'Shay had decided to go out with a bang, taking a number of her Kings teammates with him. Didn't seem like she cared. Heck, why would she? Kimble was gone and all there was now was the Quitter. A queen bee bitch in a tiny child's body. In Kimble's body. The thought of it made Gambit lose control and he had to be forcibly dragged away. He wanted to dig some more in the rubble of the warehouse as if he would still find his friend buried in the rubble, but the cops were coming. They had to get out of there.

She took flight and manhandled Remy back to the boat, chanting softly as he resisted her, "Remember what Anya said, he's still alive. I saw him myself. He won't die, not this night. He can be saved."

She dropped Gambit off on the boat, only to put an end to another brawl as Remy next went for Wolverine again. If the pilot had gotten out alive, the Kimble personality was dead, just like Anya said, and he wanted everyone to know just who's fault it was. Logan didn't put up much of a fight, he just wordlessly shoved Gambit away and went to the back of the boat to sulk. Storm had gotten back safely from the blast, she grabbed control of the boat and sped them away, wanting only to get as far from here as she could before things got worse.

------------------------

When they got back to the house, Gambit stomped off, locking himself away in his room and not speaking to anyone. He blocked out his mind, no telepaths welcome, thank you. He had come out only once. That was to go down to the Dragon to speak with Fallen. He had returned here and hadn't come out since. That was almost two days ago now.

Drunk and miserable in his room, Remy battled his pain. He was currently undressed and covered in his blankets, curled up tight with his back to the door. He had an empty bottle of Jack on the floor, an ash tray full of spent cigarette butts. He was trying really hard to keep his grief in check, but he knew he would fail. The loss was just too great. The body of his friend was alive, but the Lover was gone.

He had asked Fallen if he could keep Kimble's locked box and she let him have it, unresistant when she saw his grief stricken face. He had it up here now and it lay open, displaying all of Kimble's inner desires. Remy looked over it all, wanting the essence of his "little brother" close. He had the stack of Kimble's drawings out in front of him and was flipping through them, trying to remember the feel of Kimble's touch and the brightness of his laugh. It seemed like Kimble had been gone forever.

Remy held the picture the Lover had drawn out where he could see it. Just the sight of Kimble's love for him out in the open was too much. Remy crushed the picture to his chest as he was swept away by an uncontrollable surge of grief. He was supposed to protect his little brother and had failed miserably. He'd promised himself he wasn't going to cry, but it seemed like this was one promise he wasn't going to keep. This picture had been drawn with such love and care, Remy's heart broke and he couldn't control his feelings. He curled up in a ball and sobbed silently into his pillow.

_He'll come back to you, _Anya had said.

_Yeah, but in what shape, chere? _He asked the ghost in his mind. It mattered not. Kimble was his friend and Gambit had let him down. He should have chained Logan to a wall before he left, anything to have prevented this.

He felt a sudden chill and closed his eyes as a terrible shiver took him. He could almost hear it now, the ice cold wind of Antarctica taunting him. **Remy, you failed again. How stupid to think you would ever be good enough to have the woman you want or the friendship of lifetime.** **They are both gone now, just as they should be. You're a thief, a murdering, careless liar and a cheat**.

_Non! It isn't true!_

**You hurt everyone you've ever loved or trusted! How many women did you con out of their clothes?**

_Dey all loved me! I made dem 'appy, even if was jus' fo' one_ _night!_

**How many houses did you rob? **

_Dey was all bad men! Drug dealers and crooks!_

**Does it matter? You think and act without a care!**

_Non! I do t'ink! I tried and I tried! I did! I tried to save my Kimble, I did!_

**You knew Logan would go there and you didn't stop him!**

_I-I wanted to believe 'e would stay away! Dat I could trust 'im!_

**Oh? Like you can be trusted?**

Gambit sobbed loudly and reached under his pillow. His fingers found what they were seeking, his secret friend. He slid a switchblade out from its hiding place and snapped it out. The blade gleamed in the light of his small bedside lamp as he lay it along his wrist. It lined up perfectly with a fine old scar there, a remnant of his past. Had it been a deliberate mistake, or a miscalculation that he'd failed then?

_Hello darkness, my old friend_...

This blade had been with him a long time. He'd found it in a crack of the villain's liar, the recently departed bad guy of Antarctica. It was a tease. Use this or try to live. It had been an agonizing choice. He had been trapped in that building for five days when he found the knife, starving, freezing to death, smashed inside beyond repair. Six more days passed before he was finally found. Oh, he'd come so close, so very close. He'd dug the blade in but couldn't quite get it right. Of course he knew he wasn't doing it properly, that wasn't the point. It was a test of his will. He hadn't really been ready then, but he'd been very close. And he was close again now.

_Your wife and kids?_

"You a liar, Anya...jus' like me."

_All things we want, must be earned. Nothing is given._

"It's not fair! Why must I pay an' pay an pay! Why?" he shouted into his pillow, the pain gripping his guts so tightly he thought he would burst apart.

_Because this is how we learn grace. This is how we become strong._

Father Duncan, from the orphanage back in New Orleans, had told him this while he was on his knees, sucking on his bruised and battered fingers. He'd been caught stealing food. The orphanage he spent the first eight years of his life in did not have a lot of money, food was scarce. It had to be shared. One day, Remy lost his patience with his growling tummy. Of course he'd gotten caught, he was only five and not yet the master thief he would later become. He got his knuckles rapped soundly for his mistake and a scathing lecture from the Father. It was very enlightening. He learned just how many kids were there and how little there was for all. As further punishment, he was shown off in front of the other kids and had only one meal a day for a week. It had taught him humility. He never stole from the poor again.

The real lesson here? The real things in life must be earned, it's just that some of us have to work a little harder than others, that's all. Especially loser chumps like himself.

He could almost hear Tante Mattie's voice in his ear. She was a black woman who worked for Jean Luc LeBeau, the man who later became his father. She would soothe him when he had nightmares or when he was sick. She was a mother to him, a voodoo priestess and a healer. A gift from Heaven. She said the same things as Father Duncan, pounding them into his head with finality. God's way of never letting him forget, he used to think. Her voice was yelling at him now. "You one wretched, silly, little boy! Spoiled rotten y' are! Stop all dis whinin' an' pityin'! You was put on dis Earth to work 'ard, not play so easy all de while! Put dat damn fool blade away b'fo' you hurt y'self! Damn! Gonna smack you upside yo' head! You don' learn from nuthin!"

Gambit shivered and let the knife slip to the floor, its blade clean of blood, but not of his guilt. He curled up and groaned as the chill left him, its battle lost...at least for this day. "Je suis de'sole... I'm sorry I let you down, little brother..." he mumbled to the pillow as his body ran out of tears.

He startled a little when he heard a soft knock on his door. "Remy? Can I come in?"

Rogue.

He wiped quickly at his face and gathered the drawings quickly, dumping them back into the lock box and shutting the lid. "Eh, sure, chere," he said, trying to sound natural but not quite making it.

She came in and shut the door behind her. She was grateful he had said yes, she had been worried he was never going to come out. She looked around, surprised to see Remy's room in such shambles. Kimble's lock box was long and took up a lot of space. Remy had taken out some of the items and had them out on the floor. She saw Kimble's kaleidoscope and his skates off to one side. She also noted with some surprise the restraining collar Kimble had given Gambit out on top of all the junk. She knew these collars were rare.

"You okay, Remy?"

He shrugged and gave her his ususal cocky laugh. "Gambit's okay, chere. 'E always is."

She smiled and chuckled at him. She could see his eyes were puffy and red around the edges. His eyes were always red really, but she knew the difference, she'd loved him that much. His pain was chiseled on his face for all to see. "No. What he is, is a piss poor liar. What're you doin' in here? It's time for y'all t' come out."

"Wasn't doin' anyt'ing. Just t'inkin' bout Kimble, dat's all."

She walked over to the bed and lay down next to him, careful not to touch him. She still hadn't changed her trend of not covering herself up. Her arms and midriff were bare. She leaned over Remy's legs and peered at Kimble's pile of junk. "And what is this?" she asked, picking up the restraining collar.

" 'E give dat to me."

"Why?" she asked slowly, knowing the answer already.

Gambit laughed bitterly. " 'E was worried dat we weren't doin' t'ings de proper way," he teased, though his eyes remained sad. "Kimble, 'e t'ought dat would make us 'appy. 'E funny dat way."

Restraining collars for mutants were rare and hard to find. They were used to block out whatever gifts a mutant had been given. The collars were mostly used in prison situations or for detaining one's enemies. Normally, this collar would be seen as something loathed and hated, but here it had another meaning. It would block out Rogue's life draining power. If she put this on, she and Remy could touch.

"When did he give this to you?"

"A long time ago. 'E wanted to t'ank me for lettin' 'im sleep outside dat first night 'e was 'ere. Kimble tends to t'ink in sexual terms most of de time. Dat was de best 'e could come up wit on such short notice," he joked casually. They both knew just how rare and valuable that collar was.

"Why didn't ya tell me about this before?"

"I dunno. Guess Gambit didn' t'ink you would ever want to wear dat for 'im...dat we were t'rough. Guess 'e was waitin' for de right moment...one 'e didn' t'ink was ever gonna come."

She surprised him by slowly putting the collar on around her neck. "And is this the right time, darlin'?"

Gambit swallowed heavily. This he had not expected. He figured she might come looking for him but had doubted she would actually show up. The tension between them had been too great. Now, he was sitting here wallowing in self pity and grief and she was here before him like an oasis in the middle of the desert. He was instantly aroused and wanted her offered form of comfort badly. He heard the voices of irony cry out from inside of him, _Why is it dat you're 'ere when Gambit's in pain like dis, but not all de other times 'e really need you around?_, but decided this was not a good time to argue with himself.

"Only if it's okay wit you, chere. Gambit, 'e is sly, but 'e didn' mean to fire you up like dis," he offered feebly, not daring to believe.

She just laughed. "You silly little boy. I know ya well enough to know what you need."

She bent down and kissed him on the mouth.

Gambit jerked involuntarily, he couldn't help it. The first time she'd ever done this, she put him a catatonic state for four days because of her mutation. When he finally woke up, he was wasted for days. It took a long time to recover. He joked that it had been worth it, but she had laid him out pretty good. That was the kiss that had cost him her trust. It wasn't much longer after that when the whole mess of his terrible secret got out. When he saw that nothing was happening now, he released his pent up passion for her and embraced her quickly, kissing her madly. He was out of his mind to be doing this. This was just another opportunity for her to rip his heart and self esteem to shreds, but he didn't care. She laughed in his ear, sending a thrill right through him.

Just like with Vanessa, her touch up close was maddening and her shine burst out around her suddenly as his senses went into hyperdrive. He hadn't been with anyone since Vanessa, spooked by Jael's little virus. He didn't startle as badly this time and recovered his stride quickly, relaxing to enjoy the gift Kimble had given him. He could smell Rogue's arousal even though she hadn't undressed yet and was intensely aware of her excited breathing so close to his ear. It filled him with an intense desire he had no wish to control. He wanted to hear her heartbeat crashing inside of his head. He wanted to feel her love blasting into him, filling him up with it's warmth. He was barely aware that he was thinking on Kimble's terms. His passion was jacked up and running away with itself and he lay her down a little roughly. He fumbled clumsily at her clothes and at the blankets that had now twisted around him, unable to get them off fast enough. He began to rip and tear at her and she laughed at him, amused by his enthusiasm.

"'S okay, darlin'," she drawled, happily. "I got a whole closet full."

"Gambit steal you some more, bien?" he said, grateful that she wasn't put off by his haste.

As he continued to undress her, he calmed himself by rambling on and on about which high end department stores he was going to break into to steal some new clothes for her. He spent most of his time discussing lingerie. She let him go on and on, loving the sound of his voice and that pretty Cajun accent. She couldn't get enough of it. Remy got much quieter when he ran out of clothes to remove.

He knew her greatest need was to have her body touched, so he put all of his skills to work for her. He kissed her lips, her eyelids and the tip of her nose, making her giggle. He nibbled on her earlobe, first making it wet with a gentle flick of his tongue then blowing on it. He was thrilled by the responsive shiver she gave and the soft moan of pleasure that escaped her lips. He moved down her chest and gave each firm breast its due, not satisfied until both nipples stood hard and erect. She was thrashing and moaning under him, but he wasn't going to let her off that easy. He moved lower still and indulged in a ritual he had never been able to do freely with her before.

They had been together like this once before, a restraining collar in use, but they were held prisoner in a locked cell and not sure when the axe was going to fall. It was nice to have the brief moment of intimacy, but it was just that, brief. He'd had no time to really play her and show her just what he was capable of. When they were freed, the collars were left behind and he never had a chance to find another until Kimble gave him this one. He wasn't about to let this opportunity go to waste. This time they had all night and he was going to give her the thrill of her life.

Rogue was in delicious agony as he moved down between her legs and made good use of his tongue. She was quickly realizing the difference between a lover and a man who got by. Remy was making poor Manny seem like a blind, shuffling drunk bumbling around in the dark. Every touch of Remy's hands had meaning, every stroke of his tongue a deep loving kiss. She was bucking wildly, she was so close so close...

"Ah, ah. Not yet, mon jolie petite fille," he chuckled softly and withdrew.

"You bastard!" she complained, still writhing.

He just laughed and wiped his face on the sheets, catching his breath. He was rock hard and eager, but wanted to regain some control. He kissed the smooth flat muscles of her belly and flicked his tongue in and out of her cute little belly button. He shocked her by licking her skin suddenly and blowing bubbles loudly on her belly, making her squeal with laughter.

"Damnit, Remy! This girl's on fire, best be puttin' it out, Sugah, not foolin' around!"

"What's de rush, ey? Don' tell me you missed me?"

"Of course I did," she said softly, growing suddenly serious.

This he did not want. "Den Gambit make sure you don' ever run away again, mon ador'ee," he joked lightly and dove into her, causing her to shudder and gasp against him.

Remy took her passionately and was again struck by how intensely he was enjoying her. Rogue's glow was bright and shimmering all around him now, brighter now because their physical contact was more complete than he'd ever had before. They were joined on levels he didn't even knew existed. Her shine was pouring into him now and damn, if it wasn't telling him things. It whispered to him, **/ I love you, Remy. I need you, Remy. But most of all...I love to be made love to by you, Remy. /**

He couldn't explain the voice, it wasn't hers, but it came from her body and it spoke the truth. It made him crazy with desire and he was driven to a frenzy. He became as Kimble was and his driving passion backwashed into Rogue. She felt it as a huge wave of pleasure and they both cried out at the same time as they climaxed together. It overwhelmed him and he lay against her, shivering and trembling all over from feeling her love pour into him from all sides. It was real, it was tangible, and he would never doubt what she felt for him ever again. It was here in his hands like never before, substantial and his forever.

Rogue felt him quivering against her and couldn't believe how on fire and alive she felt. He'd touched her like no other, stoked her passion as Manny never could. He was the best lover she'd ever had, no one had ever come close to what he could do for her, restraining collar or not. She was giddy and high and warm all over. She didn't completely understand just how he'd affected her, she just thought it had been so long since she'd been this close to him and had forgotten what a wonderful, skilled lover he actually was.

"You okay, Sugah?" Rogue asked him with a chuckle. He was trembling all over like a child.

"Sure, Gambit okay. 'E just fo'got jus' 'ow sweet y' are." He kissed her shoulder, biting her a little, and shivered again. " 'E gonna eat you up, chere."

"Oh, my! You shoulda broke out this here collar a long time ago!"

"Gambit will make up for it, je promets."

He nibbled on her again, grateful for just this simple thing of being able to taste her skin and breathe in her smells. He took a moment to just hold her tightly and stroke his hands over her body, needing that closeness more than anything else. He buried his hands in her hair and nuzzled her neck, hearing her laugh softly as he tickled her with his nose. Anya's prediction of a wife and kids came back to him, this time with a promise of past debts paid, and he felt such a surge of hope and euphoria, he was unable to stop the shiver of pleasure that ripped right through him. He was going to take that knife, his old friend, and toss it away forever.

Rogue laughed once more, knowing that Remy had really needed her and hadn't been able to hide it. She was no longer jealous of Kimble or of his memory in spite of the debris that now littered Gambit's floor. She felt strong and powerful and important. She had needed this more than she realized. This is what she'd been missing, that great big empty hole that she'd been carrying around inside of her was gone, momentarily filled.

He rose after a few minutes of gentle cuddling and tugged her with him into the small bathroom that joined his room. He started up the shower and brought her in, wanting her with him. He managed to wash up, but it took a while. He was kissing her and soaped her down, letting her feel the slick slide of his wet hands all over her back, her breasts, her firm little bottom. All the while, he did the bravest thing he had ever done. He told her again and again that he loved her, speaking more freely than he had before. He was so afraid she would leave him again and so opened himself to her like he never had. He had to make her understand that what he felt for her was real.

Rogue heard him and felt his sincerity. She couldn't believe how incredible it felt to have him touch her and the caring way he did it. She loved the feel of his body. He had the long lean physique of a marathon runner, all angles and definition. He had a light covering of russet hair on his chest that she loved to stroke. She never saw his scars, they were invisible to her now, a thing of the past. Her fingers touched him without feeling them. He reached for the shampoo and gently started to wash her hair, whispering softly to her in pleasant Cajun nonsense as he massaged her scalp with his fingers. She closed her eyes and let him pamper her, let him speak the words in her ear. She was on fire and soon enough, they made it back out to the bed again. He brought her back to the brink of exploding just with the play of his hands and the skillful art of his tongue.

When he took her again, she felt that wave of pleasure again and this time was fully aware of what it meant. This was no fluke, no miracle of restraining collar technology. He was making her high. He was filling her head with amazing sensations, something he hadn't done before...ever. Remy had come back from his journey to Cerise changed in more than one way, she knew that now. She'd heard the rumors about the file exchange and had noticed how Remy always seemed guarded about talking about it.

Remy had always been an excellent lover, but this was something different. Her skin was tingling and her mind swimming with pleasure no mere loveplay could produce. She felt it when he came and not just because she knew his body so well. This was inside her head. It came at her, a wave of ecstacy so powerful, it blew her away and made her shake all over. It was great, but frightening as well. Whatever it was, it was coming from Remy and not because of the collar around her neck. She lay back and enjoyed it, but some small door closed in her mind that had been opened before. He had been changed and had hidden it. More secrets. Always with him, his secrets.


	5. Chapter 5

(Five)

Fallen and Henry had moved all of the hologram equipment into the Main Room of the Lucky Dragon. After weeks of working on Seth's missing codes they had finally assembled what they hoped was a proper functioning program and were now ready to give this a try. They were making the last preparations for firing it up and there were computer towers and wires everywhere. Some extra lights had been rigged up and a blanket and some water were close by for Seth. They had no idea what his reaction would be once he got out. He hadn't handled it so well before.

The Professor, Jean and Scott sat in the ship's passenger seats, waiting comfortably. They had been warned ahead of time that this was Fallen and Henry's first try to remove Seth from his imprisonment and it probably wouldn't work. The codes were not complete, but finished enough for this little experiment. The invited guests still wanted to be here nonetheless, as fascinated by the science as they were by the thrill of meeting Seth for real.

Scott looked over the equipment with some interest. Henry had explained some of this to him -- Seth would be a walking sentient hologram as Kimble was, only he would have no powers. He would look like a pilot without that creature's special abilities. Scott liked Seth well enough, seeing early on that he did not possess his brother's flirtatious mannerisms and out of control behavior. He was impressed by what he'd been told of Seth's hacking abilities and looked forward to working with him.

The block of hologram particles sat in front of the screen. Henry had searched far and wide and had been able to find all the components. Fallen was lucky she had kept a few "stars" around, those were the inner drives that held the codes. Those were Siskan only, she would never have been able to duplicate them here. All she'd had to seek out to complete the hologram were the particles and the gel chemicals. It had been very expensive and Fallen had been forced to sell a few more diamonds. She could've cared less. She had been waiting for this day for so long.

Seth was in his seat in the cockpit room. He was very nervous and chewing absently on one of his fingernails. He wanted to do this, but being out terrified him. He would be brave. He had to. With Kimble gone, this was the only way left for him and Fallen to be together and he would be damned if he was going to be stuck in here and away from her any longer.

Henry smiled up at him as he lay the last of the cables down and checked the connections. "You ready for this?"

Seth shivered and kept his eyes down as he said, "I'll have to be. I don't want to be alone any more."

Henry's look saddened. So much like Kimble this was. Siskans did not do well on their own, he'd learned that quick from Kimble's swift decline. Henry just hoped that having Fallen so close would keep Seth from suffering as Kimble had. "Just relax. This will all be over soon."

Fallen looked up at Seth and smiled. "The machines are all set. You good to go?"

"Okay," he replied in a trembling voice. "Let's do it."

Seth worked some of the switches on his console. There was a low vibration coming from the square of particles as they became charged. He finished and stood slowly, rubbing his sweat soaked hands on his jeans. He was terrified and really trying hard to keep it from showing. He looked over at Kimble's vacant work station and paused, seeing Kimble's things for what he hoped was the last time. He looked as though he might cry. "Kimble should be here," he lamented.

He still refused to believe his brother was dead. He had been told what happened and he listened with dull disbelief. He believed that if Kimble was really gone, he would know it inside. He had no such feeling. He had seen Remy briefly the one time the thief had come by and hadn't liked the way he looked. Seth hoped if this was successful, maybe he could help Gambit look for Kimble. Surely the two of them could figure out what really happened that day at the warehouse. He wanted so much for this to be true.

The Professor sent out some teams to try and gather information on Kimble's whereabouts but they had come up empty. The fact was, his best two intelligence gatherers were in shambles. Both Remy and Logan holed up in their respective quarters and hadn't come out. The only one with any major skill in this area was Kennedy. So far nothing had come up. Wherever Kimble was, it was someplace private and unreachable by any means currently available. The only option Charles was left with was to give his people a few days to recover and then try again. It had only been a couple of days since they came back from the warehouse. His worst fear was that the boys would take off. So far, Logan and Remy were content with isolating themselves and getting drunk. It could be worse. At least they weren't at each other's throats.

Fallen looked up at Seth with sympathy. "I know. He would be here if he could," she soothed.

She did not share Seth's optimism. Kimble was gone and they would grieve and all move on. That was the way of things. Once Seth was out, she would be able to go ahead with her life and try to get back on track. She needed some normalcy. She needed Seth's arms around her.

Seth nodded slowly, resigning himself, and shook himself, trying to relax. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He put his head back and disappeared from view, melting away like a ghost. The cube on the floor of the Main Room began to change and take on humanoid shape. It molded itself with unseen hands until Seth's body became plain. He was standing very still, leaning slightly forward on his bent pilot's legs. His hands were clasped together at his throat. He came awake very gradually, blinking his eyes in the harsh light of the ship.

Fallen came to him anticipating trouble. She didn't have long to wait. He took a sudden rapid breath and fell to his knees, covering his eyes. "Ughh! Too bright! Too bright!" he squealed and shivered until he felt her arms around him.

"Easy, Seth. Easy. It's been a little while, just relax."

"No! It's worse than before! The access code..." his voice trailed off as he greyed out from breathing too hard.

Fallen gripped him tightly. She felt Henry approach, but put her hand out and said, "Don't crowd him." Fallen kept Seth very close to her and whispered to him as he sobbed in terror. "Easy, my love. Just take nice slow breaths."

He wouldn't obey so she raised his chin and kissed him, forcing him to slow down his breathing. It worked. He calmed and quieted, but refused to open his eyes.

"Is he going to be okay?" the Professor asked Henry.

"Oh, yes. He merely has trouble getting used to the sensory data. He already had this problem back on Cerise. I'm assuming that the access code has heightened his senses even more. I'm sure that over time, Seth will be quite fine. He is a lot more motivated than before."

"Seth, open your eyes," Fallen coaxed.

"Nnnoo..."

"Just a little, please. I want you to look at me."

He opened his eyes a crack and squinted. Fallen dimmed the lights in the room with a mental command and Seth opened his eyes a little more. He saw the others watching him and panicked, hyperventilating again. Fallen turned his head back to her. "Just look at me, Seth. No one else. I won't let anything harm you." He obeyed, but was trembling violently. "Shhh...Relax." She kissed him again and made him look into her eyes.

He became mesmerized and saw nothing else. "I love you, Fallen."

"And I you. Now tell me, do you want to go back? You know the codes aren't finished. I left the bridges in place. You're not trapped out here like Kimble was. You can go back at any time."

"No. Never. I'm never going to let you get away from me again!" he replied with conviction and squeezed her even more tightly. He was more afraid of losing her than anything else. "I never want to let you go."

She held him. "I don't want you to. Stay with me."

"I will. I will. Forever." He buried his face into her hair and ran his hands through it.

They crouched together for a while, just clinging to each other. The others came one at a time to tap Seth's shoulder in greeting before leaving. They could all see he needed some calm and quiet. He looked up at them with tear flooded eyes and did his best to smile at them all. The Professor stayed the longest, giving Seth reassurances and words of welcome. He gave Seth's small white hand a squeeze and left.

Only Henry remained. "I'd like to take him down to the lab and run some quick tests. I'd like to compare his readings to Kimble's."

"I miss him so much..." Seth complained and started to cry. He was still very frightened.

"Me, too," Fallen agreed, crying a little herself. She wasn't ignoring Henry and he waited patiently. "We have to bring the power cubes," she said to him. "Seth won't be able to walk and the tram will frighten him even more. I'll carry him and we'll walk if that's all right."

"It's no problem," Henry replied and gathered the things they needed.

Fallen very carefully hoisted Seth up piggyback on her back, using her wings to secure him. He wasn't heavy at all, he wasn't a real man and weighed even less than Kimble did. He gripped her until his knuckles were white and she had deep red furrows in her skin, but she didn't complain. She was thrilled they had gotten this far and she could see Seth was calming down.

She and Henry made their way down the tram tunnel slowly and Seth gradually relaxed and peered around him. He loosened his death grip a little as they walked, easing Fallen's pain. They went into the lab and she set Seth carefully down on one of the beds. Fallen placed the power cubes close to him and he lay his hands on them, charging up a little. Her Ristle power from the cubes soothed him further and he was almost completely calm now. He pulled one of Henry's soft blankets around him and trembled as he examined his new surroundings.

He wasn't alone in here, there was someone in the bed next to him. The curtain was drawn, but he could just make out a bit of Joseph's face. The last remaining Clansman had been moved here a few days ago in an attempt to save his life. He had stopped eating and a feeding tube was installed. He was shackled to the bed and left mostly alone. The restraints weren't really necessary, he had put up no fuss, no fight, he merely lay there waiting for death. He wore no restraining collar, they were rare and the X-men did not currently possess one. Gambit's collar had been kept secret, no one else knew about it. Besides, Henry did not see Joseph's feeble telekinetic ability as any kind of threat. Karen had tried to speak with him, but he was unresponsive to anything she had to say. He was in limbo while the team tried to decide what to do with him. He'd been somewhat neglected with all the activity going on in other areas of the team's concern.

Seth could also see inside Henry's lab from the infirmary and was immediately interested in all the science equipment he saw. Oh, there was much fun to be had in here! He smiled when Fallen came close and gave him a cup of water. He started to drink it gratefully, but quailed in fear when he saw Logan shuffle in.

Like Remy, Logan had been a ghost the past couple of days. He hid away in his room and let his burns heal up, finding comfort for his pain in a few bottles of whiskey. He was ordered not to leave the house but it was clear he wouldn't be staying much longer. He had grown dark and cloudy, full on his way to a pitch black breakdown, the ones where he ripped everything up. He had made no move to apologize for his behavior at the warehouse, he just stayed in his room as Remy had and drank, refusing to see anyone. Karen had shoved her way in, being a very pushy individual. He didn't fight her but stared out the window refusing to talk. She left, but not before she had made it clear she would not let him push her away. No matter how big an asshole he was trying to be, she would still be ready to talk to him any time he was ready. So far it hadn't happened. He had been quiet and locked himself away...until now. He'd heard about Seth being freed from the whispers of others and had to come out. He had something to say.

Seth dropped his cup to the floor with a clatter and cowered behind Fallen, gripping her arms tightly. "Don't let him hurt me, Fallen!" he whimpered, terrified.

Seth and Logan hadn't had the best of introductions. Seth was very much aware of Kimble's difficulties with the man on their journey here and would never forget the brief bloody fight that had taken place in the Main Room when Valentin had tried to take over the ship. His biggest fear was that some day Logan would rip Kimble to shreds, their petty war getting out of hand. Seth had never been that worried for himself before now, the ship's systems protected him. Now he was out with nothing to stand in Logan's way. He had no idea how Wolverine would react to him and was very frightened.

Fallen was aware of Seth's fear. She decided it would be best to get things out in the open quickly. She put her body in front of Seth and raised a thick heavy shield as she turned to face Wolverine. She locked him with her eyes and raised her chin defiantly. "Seth is out. You will not hurt him like you did Kimble. You will not talk to him like you did Kimble. You so much as roll your eyes at him the wrong way, I'll blast you right out of your socks. You understand me?" she threatened without preamble.

Logan met her eyes. He wasn't angry at her words. He wasn't angry at all, just terribly sad. "I ain't gonna hurt yer boy, darlin'. I just come by ta congratulate you on yer little experiment." He swayed unsteadily and Fallen realized he was quite drunk, or at least as drunk as his healing factor would allow. He looked at Seth. "Hope ya find bein' out better than yer brother did, but I doubt it. All this place does is ruin people. Never know when some asshole's gonna come up ya an hurtcha, steal yer innocence. You best watch yer boy, Fallen. I know it's hard ta b'lieve, but there's worse things out there than me." He sniffed and walked out.

Fallen pulled away from Seth's death grip with a kiss of reassurance and followed Logan out. He was almost stumbling, he was so drunk. She yanked on his arm. "What's wrong with you?"

He looked back at her with eyes filled with pain and suffering. "Nuthin'. S' just ya lost one Siskan already. Would be a shame ta lose another." He pulled away from her and kept walking away towards the elevator.

"What did Kimble see from you, Logan? Tell me what happened!" she demanded.

He didn't answer but shuffled off, miserable. He passed his hand over the security panel for the elevator and growled in frustration. The lower level was a restricted area, the elevator had the regular up and down buttons, but for security reasons, they were locked out by the security panel, an extra measure of safety. Under normal conditions, the elevator could only be called by this security panel as long as the panel was active. Problem was, the panel had been tricky lately, not working as it should and Henry hadn't gotten around to fixing it. Wolverine snarled loudly and punched the wall in his frustration, making a good sized hole with his fist.

"I'll get that," Henry offered from behind Fallen. He had heard their voices and had come out of the lab to investigate. He came around her and slowly walked over to the elevator, giving Logan some space. He could smell the reek of Logan's whiskey and knew the man was teetering, Logan was just one trigger away from seriously injuring someone. Henry used a key card to bypass the panel but it still didn't respond.

Logan wasn't going to wait. He popped his claws and slashed the wall. He ripped the panel out violently with one huge yank, not caring as he was shocked by electricity. His healing factor dealt with it as the power surge didn't even last but a second before shorting out. The panel popped and fizzed as if in apology for being such a failure but Logan just smashed the remains against the floor, shattering it and sending plastic bits and wires out in all directions. He glared up at Henry, his eyes crazed and wild.

Beast stood frozen in place next to him, not wanting to be the next target. The alarm had sounded from the panel's destruction and it was huge and loud. There was another security panel a couple of feet back for the alarm and Beast gingerly stepped away to it. He swiped his card and canceled it, the loud shriek of the alarm abruptly shut off. He clicked a button for the intercom and said, "False alarm, folks. We had a security panel...er...malfunction. Sorry about that."

The hallway was eerily silent now except for the ding of the elevator car as it returned from above. In the case of an alarm, the car always came down. Now that the security panel had been destroyed and the alarm shut off, the standard buttons were functioning. Logan pressed the up button and the doors opened. He went inside without speaking and departed a lot more silently than he had come.

"Fallen!" Seth was shouting now from back inside the Medical Bay. The alarm had frightened him and she could now hear him with the noise gone. She returned to him and held him tightly in her arms, shielding him from all the ruckus. He had his hands over his ears and was bawling with his eyes clamped shut, terrified beyond belief. She soothed him, watching as Henry came back with the smoking ruin of the security panel in his hand.

Beast plunked it down on a table and sighed. "At least this wasn't any of us."

"Is he going to be all right?" Fallen asked. Seth had calmed and was shivering in her arms. He buried his face in her breasts and she squeezed him, petting him.

"Logan? Yeah. This isn't the first security panel he's damaged. Won't be the last, I'm sure. I should repair this now, but I'm too damn tired."

"Do it in the morning. What difference will it make?"

He smiled at her. "You're right. Let's see to your Siskan. He looks a bit frightened."

"I'm okay," Seth said, wiping his eyes. He was still hitching for air, but had calmed. He was overly sensitive to everything around him. The lights seemed too bright and the sound of the alarm had made his head hurt. Fallen felt good, though. He could feel her heat and hear the sound of her breathing so close. She was so warm and wonderful, his fierce protector, the bringer of happiness and joy.

"Let's just see how you are, hmm? Just to be sure," Henry insisted.

"N-no tests. Please. I just want to be quiet for a while," Seth pleaded.

"We'll sleep here," Fallen suggested. She was tired as well.

Henry smiled. "All right. First thing in the morning, then. Well, after I fix the panel, that is. The rest of the panels might not function, but for one night I can't see how it could be any harm."

Fallen climbed into the bed and pulled Seth around her. She covered him up and they settled down. Henry looked at them smiling. He was a sucker for a good romance, that was for sure. He was going to have find some of this bliss for himself someday. A petri dish and a test tube was no substitute for a good hug. He took a peek at Joseph as he retreated, saw he was still in the catatonic state as usual in spite of the noise, and then shut off the lights before heading to his own bed.

Fallen and Seth snuggled down and dropped off quickly, having had enough fun for one day. Seth had his face to her breasts, wanting to hear her heartbeat and feel the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. These moments of intimacy with her had been so brief in the Black Room, Kimble was never one to stay asleep for long and so they were always interrupted. These were things he would be sure to cherish for a long time to come.

They never heard the quiet ticking from the bed next to them or the sound of shackles, now empty, being carefully laid down. There was a slight whisper as the curtain parted, but they never woke, not even as the shadow of Joseph passed over them. He paused, looking down at them with a sneer, but then vanished, not letting this opportunity go to waste.


	6. Chapter 6

(Six)

Logan was drunk, more drunk than he could ever remember. It had taken quite an effort, but he had finally achieved his goal. He sat on his bike in the garage, wondering for the first time if he was actually too drunk to drive out of here. He barely registered that he wasn't alone, Karen had slipped into the garage from the house.

"Don't go," she whispered.

He responded by firing up the bike. It was monstrously loud after the quiet stillness of the early morning.

She came to him anyway, not the least bit frightened by his condition. "If you must go, don't stay away long." She leaned in and kissed him, the first time she'd been brave enough to try.

Logan tore away from her, unable to stop a tear that leaked out of one eye. He didn't dignify it by wiping it away, but said in a raspy, dry voice, "I ain't nuthin' but trash, darlin'. I'm the worst there is. I fuckin' kill people and hurt anyone who's ever come close to me. I don't know what's goin' round that pretty little head of yours but I don't love you! I ain't capable of it! Forget about me!" He gunned the bike and took off in a cloud of exhaust and rage.

"Liar," she whispered softly, wrapping her arms around herself.

She had grown to know Logan pretty well over the past few days. Knew him well enough to see his pain. She had read his writings in the notebook he had given her, surprised by the intelligence there. He was a perceptive man and expressed himself easily, at least on paper. The most informative notes had been the ones he had written the night they came back from the warehouse. He had given her the book just an hour ago and she had skipped all the way to the back, hoping to learn what had happened there. He gave no details, but she found this note he left for her.

_Kimble's all broken now, smashed down from my words and my anger. I didn't mean for it to happen, it's just that once he got me started, I just couldn't stop this sick anger that's been trapped up inside of me for so long. He's not bad, he ain't a monster though I called him that. He found out about me, just like Anya said. I gave him my rage and watched him die. Whatever happens now, this is all my fault. I ain't gonna try and hide from it. I'm leavin' cause I just can't stay no more. I can't. It ain't safe ta be around me. I'm gonna hurt somebody and I've caused too much pain around here already. Don't know when I'll be back. I know ya like me. Save it fer someone who deserves that kind of carin'. I'm the freak and the monster. Death and claws, that's all I'm about. All I'm ever gonna be. Good luck to ya, darlin' _

_Logan._

Karen wasn't about to be fooled by his request, that was the pain talking. When he returned, they would talk. No more fooling around, she was in love, no doubt. Clearly the guy needed some work, but she was up to it. She was patient.

--------------------------

Karen shut off the light and left the garage, never seeing the shadow of a man who eased himself around her location with stealth and cunning. He'd been hiding under one of the cars, waiting for them to leave. Logan was too drunk and angry to smell him when he came in here before. Joseph watched her leave and then bolted out the open garage door, smiling now with excitement.

He'd snuck out of the Mansion with an ease he hadn't expected. It seemed the residents of the house had been distracted by other things and the security panel being taken out by Wolverine was an unexpected gift. He was weak from starvation and more than a little mad, but he had known an opportunity when it was hand delivered like that. There had to be something better out there than a holding cell. If it was death, so be it. He cared not. Henry had underestimated his ability to work the restraints. It hadn't taken him long to unfasten them telekinetically and slip away.

It was still quite dark out and he bolted across the lawn, exhilarated by his new found freedom. He wouldn't have gotten far, there were motion sensors and cameras in place all over the yard to detect intruders, but it didn't matter, he never got out far enough to set off any of the alarms. He had no time to duck as he was grabbed roughly from behind by a winged man he didn't recognize. He wouldn't have anyway. This was no X-man, this one belonged to Jael. Jael was no fool, he had the house watched as soon as he'd learned of Kimble's affiliation with Xavier. He had wanted information and grabbed the first unprotected unfortunate to leave the house.

Joseph snarled and tried to fight but he was no match for this warrior of the sky. He dangled at this man's mercy for a few harrowing minutes as they traveled rapidly into town. He was rudely dumped onto the roof of a Salem Center warehouse. He fell hard on his ass and tried to move away.

"Nice catch, Marcus," Shakra purred, coming into the light. She was here with a couple of friends. They had been expecting an X-man a little higher up on the totem pole, but this one would do.

"Thanks, baby," he answered, ruffling his brown feathered wings with happiness. Joseph looked up at him, seeing his captor more clearly now. Marcus was tall and lean, dressed sharply in a navy cavalry shirt. He was odd looking, having grown a Mohawk with a long ponytail for fun. Joseph had never seen anyone who looked like him.

Razel leered at Joseph and recognized his tattoos for the Clan markings they were. He had never been to Cerise but Jael spoke of it often, usually as an object lesson of how mutants keep getting the shaft. Jael would never get over being passed by for a normal human. Razel took a step closer and teased, "Little mouse, little mouse, do tell? Have you seen any pilots lately? You know, ones with really big tattoos? Don't be lying now, we've got girls here who can bite."

Joseph trembled, unable to move. He was woefully outclassed and he was here all by himself. Valentin was gone, he was unprotected. "Yeah. So what? Kimble's nothin' but a freak and a loser!" he shouted as all of his fear left him. He was going to die. So what? He would not be denied the warrior's death his Master had lost. He scrambled to his feet and held up his fists, unable to hide his intense trembling and fear.

Shakra stepped closer, freaking him out by her ghastly appearance. As odd looking as the winged Marcus had been, Shakra was like nothing else. She was covered with soft purple spikes and not even close to human. She circled him, licking her lips. "So pretty, this mouse. Want some cheese?"

He bolted and she spiked him with her needle like barbs, watching him tumble bonelessly down to the ground with satisfaction, another prize for Jael. Marcus gathered him up and they all collected around Razel, touching him with their hands. Razel's only weakness was that he could teleport only those things in contact with his body. He laughed and they winked out of view as if they never had been.


	7. Chapter 7

(Seven)

Rogue woke the next morning when the first rays of light touched her face. She sat up and stretched, feeling tingly and wonderful all over. She looked back at Remy's sleeping face, a surge of affection making her smile. He always looked like a small child when he was out cold, it was the only time he let his guard down. They had slept peacefully, the false alarm not withstanding. It had just been another excuse to play some more.

She set her feet down on the floor and looked down at Kimble's box. Remy had shut the lid, but it was still unlocked. She opened it carefully, being quiet about it. Her eyes widened when she saw all the stuff that was in there. Kimble had been busy stealing stuff from everybody. She wondered why he would do that. Was he some kind of voyeur? It would come as no surprise to her, Kimble seemed like the kind of guy who had a sense of the sick and perverted.

What she saw next only proved it to her. She found the stack of intimate drawings Kimble had made of himself and Remy and she picked them up to look at them all the better. She gasped softly when she saw what Kimble had made. These pictures were too carefully crafted to be fantasy, she reasoned. It didn't escape her notice how in all of them, Kimble was a man. He hadn't wanted to shift to girl for this one, no. She flipped through until she found the special one the Lover had made, it took her breath away.

"What you doin', chere?"

Rouge turned, startled. She looked into Remy's face and saw the tightness of his jaw. He had awakened silently, her movement rousing him from a deep sleep. He knew now what she had seen and was immediately on the defensive.

"I thought you and Kimble weren't intimate," she said, unable to hide a tone of accusation there.

" 'E ask an Gambit say no. Dat's it."

He saw she didn't believe and his temper started to rise.

"These pictures tell a diff'rent story, Sugah."

"Yeah, well. De Kimble, he got quite de imagination, oui," he said, sitting up. He took the pictures from her and shoved them back into the box, slamming the lid down.

"When we were makin' love, it was diff'rent than b'fore."

Remy was startled at that but tried to hide it. It was one thing for him to feel what Kimble had done to him, it was quite another for someone else to. He knew that Kimble had changed him, he just hadn't realized how much until now. His confusion didn't stop him from feeling angry at Rogue's accusation. He grinned at her irritably. "Mebbe you jus' f'got what you was missin', eh?"

"No. Kimble fucked you, didn't he? He fucked you an' changed you."

"Non. Not like dat. It 'appen' when we share de files."

"You knew about it and didn't say anything?"

"Didn' t'ink it was dat big a deal."

"Not a big deal? Oh, like you thought Kimble sneaking off wasn't a big deal either? Don't you think you should have told the Professor?"

"Non. Dis b'tween Kim an' me."

"Really?" she said sharply. She rose and started to dress, making sure she removed the collar. They were done with it now, that much was clear.

Gambit lay back across the bed, his fury burning bright now. He snatched at his cigarettes and lit one in anger. He couldn't believe she was pulling this crap, especially after all the things he had told her last night. Surely she must have known he was telling the truth? How could she do this to him? "What's yo' problem, chere? You gonna' say you didn' like it, eh?"

"No. What I don't like is you always hidin' things. I love you, Remy, I really do. But I cain't take this hidin' stuff all of the time. I cain't trust you."

"What? I'm suppose' ta come walkin' in de door sayin', 'Man, you t'ink Gambit was hot stuff before, you should see 'im now', ey? Dat what you want?"

"What else are you hidin'?"

"Dere ain't nuthin' else!" he insisted. His sharp tone betrayed his belief that he knew he'd already lost this battle. It was down to the same old crap as always, he was a fool to have ever believed otherwise.

She just shrugged and walked to the door, tugging on her gloves impatiently. She stopped when she heard him laugh at her. "What?"

"Don' t'ink Gambit don' know what you doin', chere."

"What's that?"

"You come 'ere lookin' for some of what you was missin', den you use dis as an excuse ta walk away. Gambit ain't no fool," he accused, a smug smile on his face hiding his pain.

"Oh, please! You're so full of yourself!"

He stood up with his usual cat like masculine grace and walked over to her, laying a hand on the door so she couldn't flee so easily. He gave her another irritated smile, his eyes cold and hard. "Right. Mebbe dat's all Gambit ever was to you. Jus' some kind of toy."

"You want everything, you stupid little boy! You want me down at your feet while you run around doin' what you please an' hidin' it all! How do I know you don't have girls all over! Why should I believe you and Kimble never had an affair! You lie about everything! If you're not lying about it, you're hiding it and that's just as bad! You think this is all a stupid game! Well, I don't play that way! I never have!"

"You de one playin' a game, chere. Not me. You say you can't trust **_me_**? What a crock of shit! You **_can't_**, eh? Fa! You **_won't_**! 'S easier dat way, bien?"

It was her turn to be defensive. She stepped back, indignant. "What do you mean by that?"

"Always wit you, I can't dis, I can't dat! You **_won't_** 'cause you so scared of gettin' 'urt, you'd rather 'urt de rest of us dan y'self! You so fuckin' selfish!"

She slapped him viciously, shoving him back. He stepped aside, his hand on his cheek where he'd been struck, unable to hide his surprise this time. It was the first time she had ever hit him. She had a real bad habit of throwing things around, but it had never come to this. There was a moment of silence then, as it all came to him. It came with the pain, it came with the low vibration of anger and disgust he was now feeling from her. He was still a little sensitive from their coupling, his senses more aware of her than ever before. He could have done without it. The vibration spoke to him as her shine had the night before. He was never going to win. He was never going to have what he wanted. Anya had lied. Once more, Gambit loses. What a surprise.

He put his hands up in mock surrender and turned away, his face flushed and angry. He had to leave now or this was going to get ugly. He wanted to beat the shit out of her.

"Remy, wait --"

"Get out!" he said, grabbing his pants and shoving them on.

She lingered at the door unable to hide her horror at what she'd done. When he threw a bag on the bed and started tossing clothes into it, she knew she had gone too far this time. "Oh, Remy. No!"

He ignored her and packed. He grabbed clothes like a machine, thrusting them into the bag with no regard to what he might really need or not. His mind was a wall of dark black rage and frustration.

He opened the drawer to his dresser and grabbed a huge wad of bills, making Rogue's eyes widen in wonder. It looked like it was all hundreds, she had no idea he had that much money just hanging around or even where it had come from. All the X-men were paid by Charles Xavier, but not enough to explain this. The Professor gave them room and board and a four hundred dollar cash allowance each week. It was compensation for their time and risk taking, though most of them would have stayed without it. The X-men who gave classes as well earned even more. Gambit hadn't taught a class in a while, certainly not enough to justify the large amount he had just taken. It looked to be well over thirty or forty thousand dollars and he tossed it in the bag like it meant nothing. It seemed only to justify what she'd said about him being so secretive, but she still didn't want him to go. His taking that amount of money could only mean he was going away for a long time, possibly forever. She grabbed at him and he tossed her off roughly, shoving her back towards the door with a snarl. He went back to jamming clothes into the bag.

He paused in his work only to grab Kimble's drawings and shove them in the bag. He didn't know why he wanted them, he just didn't want them left behind. He grabbed Kimble's diary as well. He hadn't finished with it, but wasn't going to leave it. He had no intentions of coming back. He didn't care about what else was left. It was disposable, just like everything else in his life, it seemed.

He snatched up a pair of boots from his closet without putting them on and stomped past her, still saying nothing. She trailed him down the hall, crying, but he wouldn't listen. He was shaking with hurt and rage and wanted nothing more to do with her. He was done. He was more than done with everything.

He was stopped at the top of the stairs by Manny. Manny had heard all the shouting and had come running. When he saw Remy dressed only in a pair of pants with a belt he hadn't bothered to buckle, a packed bag over his shoulder, he knew instantly what had gone on here. The fact that he hadn't seen Rogue since early yesterday was enough to make him suspicious. Rogue had grown distant lately, spending less and less time with him. He asked her what was wrong, but she never really answered him. He was worried she was having second thoughts. This only confirmed what he already knew.

He was about to say something but paused when he saw the large scars on Remy's bare chest. He had never seen them before and recognized them for what they were, a near brush with death. It was obvious he had once been savaged by some terrible beast. It shocked him silent.

Gambit took advantage of Manny's hesitation. He just grinned at Manny and said with as much cruelty as he could muster, "She all done wit me, homme. You can 'ave her back now. Can't say it was worth de price she charge, her bein' such a useless whore an' all." He gave Manny a shove with his shoulder as he passed and kept going.

"Rogue!" Manny gasped breathlessly. His chest was tight with pain and he couldn't even move.

She blew past him carelessly, pursuing Remy without speaking a word.

The Professor heard all the racket and came out of his office, meeting Gambit at the bottom of the stairs. He didn't need to ask what was going on, the thief's pain and rage was all too obvious._ Remy, please don't go,_ he sent as a private message. It came with a vibration of love Remy shuddered to feel. He was going crazy. He had to get out of here.

"It's been real, Prof. Really. But Gambit's 'ad enough."

Rogue trembled and shook behind him, unable to keep silent as she sobbed.

"Go for a few days and breathe. But come back...please," the Professor pleaded, hoping for Gambit to see reason. It wasn't going to happen. His worst fear was coming true. First Logan had gone, now Remy.Things were falling apart and he was unable to stop it.

Gambit looked at Charles, acknowledging his efforts, but his choice was already made. He was leaving, that was it."Non. I don' t'ink so. Dere ain't nuthin' ere fo' me. Dis been jus' another glorious waste of Gambit's time. He got better t'ings ta do."

"Kimble might not be deadWe won't be able to find him without you."

"He's gone, she's gone. It's all gone. Au revoir, y'all."

He stomped past them, his bag over his shoulder and walked out, not bothering to shut the door. He made his way to the garage and tossed his stuff in the Jeep. He jumped in and fired it up, gunning the motor angrily. He started to back out in a rush, but saw Storm standing in his way. He gunned the motor again, threatening her.

She stood as she was, regal and motherly in her concern for him. "You running away? How very much like Logan you are. He left last night."

He revved the engine again but Storm still refused to budge out of his way. She had known Remy for a long time. Maybe they weren't as close as they used to be, but she was still sensitive to his pain. She didn't want him to go. She knew it wouldn't solve his problems even if he didn't.

"De furball leave? All de better for you den. Now get de fuck outta of Gambit's way!"

"If you leave, Rogue wins."

He answered her by shifting gear and backing up quickly. He braked only because she still blocked him. He snarled at her in frustration and pain, his eyes glassy with tears just waiting to fall.

"Don't leave us, Remy. You've fought so hard for so much. Don't do this."

"Get out of my way, chere. Gambit's goin' run you down!" he snarled as the tears finally started to run down his face. He'd reached his limit and was well past it.

Storm saw he wasn't going to listen and gave in. She stepped aside and he blew past her, spraying gravel as he turned sharply and headed for the gates, never looking back. She watched him leave, her spirits sinking. Sometimes it seemed like things just never got better around here, only worse. It upset her that she was helpless to stop Remy's departure, but she was only one person on a team of many that was surely falling apart. In small ways, Jael was gaining ground, inch by inch.


	8. Chapter 8

(Eight)

Elsewhere that same morning, Seth lay in his infirmary bed, warm and cozy with Fallen's arms around him. He was excited, nervous, thrilled and generally blown away to actually be outside the system again. He was never one to sleep much and he was restless, his fear forgotten in his wonder of the place around him. He'd slept for a couple of hours then spent rest of the night peering around him in the gloom, already eager to explore. Fallen had been exhausted from everything she'd gone through the last couple of days and was out cold next to him.

He decided he couldn't wait any longer and gently eased himself out from under her arms. He slid his feet down to the floor and tried to stand up. His legs were shaky and he didn't feel very strong, but if he held his hands out and supported himself on the furniture he was okay. He ran his hands over the black hologram power cubes and shivered with pleasure as Fallen's power seeped into him, making him warm and happy. The shaking in his legs dissipated.

It was dark in the lab, but the light from the hallway was streaming in. As long as he didn't look directly into it, he could see without being blinded. He shuffled his way awkwardly from the infirmary to the open lab and looked about in wonder at all of the equipment there. His movements were sloppy and awkward, he still had to learn to move around, something he had never mastered in the few times he'd come out before. He was determined not to let it stop him now. He crept closer and ran his fingers lightly over the machines, marveling at them and wondering what they were.

Some of them he recognized, but most of them were a mystery to him. There were computers and scanning machines. He saw a large printer and a photocopier as well. That was new. He slid his fingers over it as if it would speak to him if he touched it kindly enough.

Things were going to be very different now for him. In the computer, his every wish was granted by merely thinking about it. His thoughts were actual codes and computer commands. Out here, he had to walk to his destinations. These machines would not give up their secrets to him without coaxing. As if in response to his musings, his curious hands found a stack of books. It was too gloomy for him to read the titles, but their mere presence made him shiver with joy at the thought of all he could learn.

And he wanted to learn it all. He wanted to know how Henry hooked up the phone to the ship and if he could fasten a cable line as well. He wanted to learn all these books and then cruise Henry's massive computer. There was magic in there, he could feel it. He wanted to learn the Earth Internet and ride its many highways just as he had the Dognan's. The humans here were not as advanced, it would be so easy. He would learn and he would be useful. He would make his home here and they would never leave. He would use those resources to find his brother, he would find a way. He was smart, he was clever. This world would give up its secrets to him.

Seth startled when he heard a noise in front of him and was suddenly blinded as the light for the lab came on, halting him in his tracks. He gasped sharply and crouched down submissively, covering his eyes and whimpering in fear. It had been a mistake to leave Fallen, his protector, behind. He was too vulnerable now, he was horribly exposed and defenseless. He cowered, waiting for the worst.

"Oh, excuse me!" Henry apologized and dimmed the light. He had heard someone moving around in his lab and went to check it out. He wasn't quite ready to face the public, he was dressed in loose boxer pajamas and not his usual dignified self. He was surprised to find Seth walking about, he figured the pilot would be too intimidated to go far. "I didn't expect you to be exploring so soon."

Seth eased his crouch but still covered his eyes. When he saw it was Henry, he calmed down and smiled with relief. "I–I couldn't sleep."

"With so much out here to explore, I can see why. I see you are still sensitive to light. Here, try these."

Seth blinked up at him and reached out. Henry had given him a pair of glasses with dark lenses. They were a little large for his head, but they were an instant relief. "Thanks."

"Here, let me help you," Beast offered and helped Seth to stand.

As the big blue man's hands touched him, Seth felt a vibration of his love and concern. They had all grown quite close from working so hard on the codes. Seth was surprised to feel it, he thought only Fallen and Kimble could send him vibrations. He didn't see the shines as Kimble did, but this he could feel and it made him smile again. This one loved him and he was safe here from harm.

Henry moved him carefully along to the work table and set him in a chair. "Better?"

"Yes, thanks."

"Are you cold?"

"Just a little."

Henry went and brought him a soft warm blanket from a shelf of bedding supplies nearby. He wrapped it around Seth's shoulders and gave him a gentle squeeze. "There, that should be better."

"Thanks." Seth continued to look about him in wonder and then the most lovely smell came wafting over from where Henry had gone to next. "What is that?"

Henry laughed. "Coffee. Would you like some?"

Seth grinned. "Oh, yes! That smells wonderful."

-------------------------

Fallen woke a few minutes later and when she felt Seth was gone, was instantly concerned. She calmed down when she heard soft voices coming from the lab and then a laugh that could only be Seth's. She grabbed the cubes and walked with them over to where Henry and Seth were seated. Seth was bundled comfortably in a blanket, a half full mug of steaming coffee in front of him. His movements were still sloppy and he used both hands to raise the cup. He saw her there and beamed his sparkling smile at her.

"Those glasses suit you," she said with a laugh. "An albino Stevie Wonder."

"Who's that?"

"Never mind," she said and sat next to him, pulling her chair in close. "I love you," she whispered and kissed him.

He leaned into her and relaxed as she embraced him. "I love you, Fallen. Thank you for bringing me out, both of you."

Henry smiled, their love and intimacy making him feel warm. "It was my pleasure. I'd like to keep you here in the lab for a while and do some tests. Nothing painful, don't worry. I'd really like to compare your readings to Kimble's."

Seth lowered his eyes. "Why? He's dead. The Quitter killed him. That's what you all believe. Even Remy thinks it's so."

"I've been an X-man almost all my life. I've seen many things. You have no idea how many friends I've seen resurrected from the dead. I often wonder if being a mutant makes you impossible to kill."

"So...You think he's alive?"

"Let's just say that I'm keeping my options open. He was **ristled **into something new,** plasmaed** into something different again. The way I see it, he's really quite resilient. If he is still inside of his body in some small way, I believe he can be resurrected. Your love for him is very strong, so is Remy's. If we ever get our hands on him, the two of you will bring Kimble back."

Seth smiled, warmed by Henry's faith.

Henry looked up as Scott poked his head in the door. Scott smiled and gave Seth a small wave. "Hey there. Feeling better?"

"Yes, thanks," he replied, returning her smile.

"Have you guys seen Logan?"

"He was drunk and upset last night," Fallen offered. "Maybe he took off."

Scott frowned at that. "Probably. Hope it's not for too long. We need everyone here. There was another bombing last night."

"If I see him I'll let him know you were looking," Beast said, shaking his head at the senseless violence. Scott departed and Beast looked at Fallen with concern. "I hope where ever he is, he's okay."

She just smiled at him and said with some humor, "I thought there wasn't anything that old warhorse couldn't handle."

Beast chuckled softly. "Probably. Don't forget he is still human, you know. He feels quite a bit more than he lets on. He grieves for Kimble in his own way. I hope he returns soon. I don't like it when we're not all accounted for."

That wasn't the only reason. He had finally run the DNA scan Wolverine had asked for. He had run a match for Molly's DNA against the whole data base as was routine. The return gave a bit of surprise. Creed's DNA came up positive for paternity but he also got a return on another relation match. That it was there was no match for the shock of who that match turned out to be. Henry cross-checked Creed's DNA for the relation and it turned up again, a sign of its reliability. Sabretooth had a blood relation in this building and it wasn't just Molly. Considering how long he'd had the two samples, he was amazed he hadn't found this out before. For whatever reason, there hadn't been an excuse to look. Henry had held on to the information, not sure what to do with it. He at least wanted to discuss it with the Professor. He didn't know if it would lead to trouble. Henry wanted Logan here when the news got out.

Seth gave out a small cry of happiness and Fallen turned to look as Maylee came rushing into the room. It seemed like ages since she had seen her foster daughter and Fallen was pleased to see her. Maylee had dived right into her academic career with zest and was already scoring very high grades. Henry had given her plenty of extra credit work and was true to his word about overseeing her continued medical training. Fallen had let her go, letting Maylee forge her own destiny and become her own person. Maylee had been told of Seth's successful rescue but had been told to wait until morning to come down and see him. He needed some time to adjust. Maylee hadn't been able to wait any longer and came down here as soon as she was cleared. She came to Seth quickly and gave him a huge hug, tears of joy streaming from her eyes.

"I've missed you so much!" she cried, squeezing him without mercy.

"I've missed you, too," he replied, enduring her grip. Her love vibration came into him, powerful and bright. Seth shivered, still unused to this. The vibrations were very pleasant, they made him feel warm and happy, content from knowing he was truly loved. It was still unnerving, almost like getting a static shock. Was this going to happen every time he was touched by someone? If he could feel the love so well, what would happen if he touched someone who hated him? He didn't want to know.

Maylee looked up at Fallen and greeted her with a smile. "Momma."

Fallen was smiling now and crying softly. She saw the love there and was grateful to have her family close to her again. "Good morrow, May. It's been quite a night."

"You said we would stay until Seth came out. Tell me we're not leaving now, Momma. I don't want to go."

Fallen laughed. She, too, had heard about the small love interest going between Maylee and Max. "Don't worry, dear. I'm not going anywhere. Kimble's still out there and I won't leave him."

"Henry thinks he still alive," Seth said, his eyes filled with hope.

It made Fallen a little sick to see it. She didn't share Henry's optimism. Kimble had been too fragile, too out of sorts when he was here. It wasn't hard for her to see him as being truly gone. She kept her reservations to herself, knowing Seth really needed his beliefs to cling to.

"I hope you find him," Maylee said to Seth. She was smart enough to realize Fallen's doubt and played along with it. She herself had never been that fond of Kimble. He had saved her life in what seemed like a dream, a place too far away now to be real. She had accepted him then, giving him her respect, but she feared him too much to ever truly give him her love. If he never returned, she wouldn't mourn the loss. He had hurt the ones around him so badly, his inability to fit in had taken its toll. She knew Fallen had started using some drugs again. It wasn't much, but still enough to worry her. Perhaps with Seth now free, Fallen would stop and things could smooth out and become normal for them all.

Henry looked up when he heard a soft grunt from his doorway. Molly was here. She often came down to use the gym in the mornings and would stop by to say hello. She smiled at them in greeting, but cocked her head in confusion and signed, **_Where's the guy that's supposed to be in the bed?_**

Beast was doing his best to learn sign language but he still had a lot of catching up to do. He got up to come closer, but rather than repeat herself, Molly tugged on him and pointed to the bed where Joseph usually was. Henry pulled back the curtain and stood there, stunned. The bed was empty. The restraints dangled from the rails, picked clean by a man with the smallest of telekinetic abilities. Oops.

"Well, that's embarrassing," he grumbled and took a quick look around. The bathroom door was open and the light off. He walked out to the hallway and looked out. The empty hallway mocked him.

"What's wrong?" Fallen asked from behind him. She had seen him looking a little lost.

"I seem to have lost someone. Joseph is missing."

"Well, he couldn't have gone far. He doesn't have clearance for the elevator, right?"

"The security panel was wrecked last night, remember? I didn't think anything of it because Joe was so out of it. Looks like his condition was a sham. Our dear Clansman is on the loose."

Molly tugged on Beast again. _**I can track him.**_

Henry shook his head at her. "What?"

Molly sighed impatiently and sniffed really, really loudly. She made exaggerated searching movements and tugged on him again.

"Okay, okay. I get the point. Let me get dressed first."

He left to dress and Molly wandered back into the lab to wait with Fallen. She saw Seth and grunted at him, signing with her hands.

"Sorry, Molly. Seth here won't be able to understand you, either," Fallen apologized.

"Why not?" Seth asked. He was curious about her, he had met so few of the residents here because he had been trapped on the ship. Fallen didn't get many visitors.

"Molly speaks with her hands," Fallen explained.

"It's a language, right? There must be a file for it. Henry can upload it to the Dragon. It would only take me a minute to learn."

Molly's smile brightened considerably. There were very few people she could directly communicate with here and it was the main reason she wasn't part of the regular school. She was actually handicapped and the school wasn't really set up for it. The Professor was working on it, but it would take some time.

"I'm sure Henry must have a file for it. If he doesn't, Karen will."

"All set," the good doctor said, coming out of his quarters. "Shall we?"

They headed upstairs. Seth wanted to come along so Fallen carried him as she had before, up on her back like a child. Molly laughed when she saw this.

"What?" Seth said, laughing as well. "Doesn't everyone new get a ride?"

Molly shook her head with a smile and kept going. They were joined upstairs by Karen, much to Henry's relief, he wanted a translator for Molly in case she actually found something. It was a likely possibility, Molly followed Joseph's trail easily. She worked his scent out through the garage and a few steps beyond, but stopped, puzzled. She signed rapidly, grunting softly for emphasis.

"What?" Henry asked to Karen.

"She said his tracks just stop cold right here. It's as if he disappeared."

"Maybe he was nabbed," Fallen suggested. "Don't you guys have cameras set up?"

Beast nodded. "Yes, but I can't imagine who would want him. Either way, if he didn't get far enough out to trip the alarms, he might not show up on the cameras as well. I'll review the tapes anyway." He turned to Molly and gave her a slight bow. "Thank you, young lady. You were most helpful."

Molly beamed at the compliment, she was happy any time she could do something useful.

Henry sighed in frustration at Joseph's departure and went back into inside. He had his work cut out for him this morning. It was going to be a long day, he could feel it already. Maylee had to go to class so she gave Seth and her foster mother a kiss before leaving as well.

Seth didn't want to go back into the house, it was a beautiful morning and he was eager to explore. Fallen could tell. She walked over to the picnic table in the back and set him carefully down onto the grass so he could check out the new world around him. Molly and Karen joined her, both of them curious about the new arrival. Karen sat at the table with Fallen, but Molly wanted to get down on the grass, too. The two adults watched over the others as if they were children.

Seth was enthralled. It was brighter outside than it had been in the house, but the glasses Henry had given him made it easy on his eyes. He lay down and buried his nose in the grass, smelling it. Molly imitated him just to play and he laughed. She was fascinated by him. She could see he was new, new to this place and everything in it. It was funny to watch him touch everything for the first time. She laughed again when he tried eating the grass and made a face from the bitter taste. It wasn't anywhere as good as Henry's coffee.

**_Grass is for cows_, _silly! _**she signed.

He cocked his head at her and Karen translated. He looked at her in confusion. "What's a cow?" This time everyone laughed and he felt a little put out. "Henry has to get me some books. I don't like not knowing what anything is," he said with a pout.

**_I have some books, I could teach him,_** Molly suggested. It was a relief to her to have someone who knew less than she did, it made her not the bottom guy on the totem pole anymore. It would also be a way she could be useful like she had been today.

Karen translated for her and said, "I'm sure you could teach him lots of things. I think it would good for both of you."

"Where do you think Joseph went?" Seth asked. "I didn't think he liked it here enough to want to go anywhere."

"I think he was tired of hanging out in Henry's holding cell," Karen suggested. "He'll turn up. He can't have gotten very far."


	9. Chapter 9

(Nine)

Joseph woke with a whimper, looking around him in confusion. This looked like home– as in Clan Station Nine -- but not quite. Was it that he'd had a bad dream and all the pain and suffering he had gone through these past weeks was simply just another nightmare? He rose stiffly, but groaned when he felt the familiar pain seep into his limbs. He was still painfully thin from his illness and malnourished...and far from home. He was in a tiny room with carved stone walls, it was lit with a small torch and still dark and gloomy. The one who had taken him hadn't even bothered to tie him, seeing quickly that he was in poor shape. At least they'd covered him with a blanket, it smelled damp and musty like everything else around him. He could feel the drugs he'd been shot with. In his weakened state, he had been easily subdued.

His awakening had been discovered however, the door opened to his cell and two large men came in. He cried out as he was viciously kicked. "This one's up," one of them said with a laugh.

Joseph was hauled to roughly to his feet and this time his hands were tied. He tried to resist, but had no strength. He was dragged down a series of hallways too much like the Clan stations to be denied. He was lost and bewildered, not quite sure where he was or how he had gotten here. He was taken to Jael's throne room and tossed onto a rug made of a huge animal skin.

Jael was seated in his big char and he looked down on Joseph with some surprise. "Oh, my! Could you have found a Clansman in more wretched condition? He's all skin and bones! At least he's clean. Probably not by his own choice, I'll wager."

Joseph rolled onto his back to see who had spoken, the voice was chillingly familiar. He looked up at Jael in surprise. "Katero?"

Jael just laughed at him. "That man is dead. He died the day you pathetic fools denied him his right to be First General. I am now Jael."

"That was your mother."

"Yes. She died on the journey here, an unfortunate loss. But I didn't bring you here to discuss my family. You have information I want."

"I don't know anything!"

"Surely you know someone who does, then? Who came across with you? You didn't make it here by yourself, Clansman."

"Fuck you! You'll get nothing from me!"

Jael just smiled and snapped his fingers. Just like a well trained dog, a lovely dark haired woman came out of the shadows at the sound. She was dressed in expensive leather pants and a thick sweater, looking more like a fashion model than a terrorist. She walked with the confidence of the truly superior and smiled as she was introduced. "This is Tanya, the Keymaster. She's going to pick your brain."

The woman stepped forward, but paused when they were rudely interrupted. Joseph's eyes widened as he saw a tiny young pilot come running into the room on her hands and feet, squealing madly in happiness. She was being chased by a flustered young man with a leather harness in his hands. She laughed and jumped up, using her ability to fly to gracefully land atop Jael's huge wooden throne. "**Kailay chur**! **Meer a tack!** **Meer!**" she chirped down at her pursuer, her eyes merry.

Jael sat motionless in his chair, but couldn't stop the smile from coming across his lips. This pilot was something of a free spirit and a treasure. Unfortunately, she kept breaking loose and running around the place. Her run in with Sabretooth the other day hadn't frightened her enough to stop trying to get free. Jael waited to see if the handler was going to resolve this situation quickly, but it didn't seem like it was going to happen. They were having a merry chase around his large chair, Kailay having the advantage of her telekinetic flight ability. She was having a blast and at the poor guy's expense.

"That's enough, Kailay," Jael finally rumbled.

She responded immediately and hopped to his feet. She rubbed her cheek against his leg. "**Kialay** **chur**!" she insisted petulantly. It was a complaint, clearly she felt neglected.

"**Kailay, chur nostro kia domo**!" he ordered gently and she put her head down.

Joseph shivered, happy to have the attention distracted away from him even if it was only for a moment. These two were speaking in Dognan, it only confirmed his suspicion that Jael had gone over to the other side before coming here.

Jael looked at him. "Kailay, you know better. I know you want to play but the Master has business. How can I properly interrogate this man if you are interrupting me?"

Joseph didn't like the sound of that! He reeled and tried to flee, but it was a useless gesture. He froze as his mind was rudely overtaken and he was paralyzed. He fell gracelessly back on the fur in a boneless heap and heaved for breath. The air had become like mud and he feared he would suffocate. His heart was racing with sickening speed, not a good thing in his frail condition. He watched numbly as the tiny pilot was harnessed and taken away. Clearly her handler thought nothing of his being held prisoner like this. There would be no help for him, not this time. It would have been better if he had stayed at Xavier's.

Joseph's thoughts were next rudely invaded by the lady telepath and then raped of all things Kimble. Tanya was a Master at her art, there was nothing she couldn't unlock from this man's mind. She saw the first time Joe had ever met Kimble, this strange program Fallen was using to fly a ship. She felt Joseph's resistance and unease with the technology he saw, he was a Clansman and unused to such things. It frightened him in a way he did not fully understand. Maybe Fallen made him feel stupid because she knew so much and it was beyond his ability to learn.

Jael was linked to Tanya's mind during this rough interrogation, Jael could essentially could scan Joseph's mind under her guidance. Jael knew something of Siskans and now knew why Seth was there working alongside Kimble to run the ship. He saw that Seth was not as real as Kimble was, Seth would have no value for Jael and wasn't worth hunting down.

Jael was impressed with Fallen as a pilot. He had seen many pilots in his life, but few were as good in quality as she was. Most pilots made were like Kialay -- childish or more like a pet than a human. Fallen was superior, intelligent, self aware and handy with tools. She reminded him of his mother and he wondered if they had been crafted by the same Master. Not all Dognan slavers were created equal. He also liked that she had chosen a pilot skin for Kimble. It wasn't something he had given much thought to --- a male pilot --- but was pleased by the result. It had translated well. Kimble in motion was even more beautiful than his photographs. Jael couldn't wait to meet him for real.

Jael next saw when the three X-men were taken hostage and how they fought the war of the Clan. He knew these men — Wolverine, Gambit and Beast. The sight of Valentin again made Jael growl softly. He never got over being passed by for that asshole. He was even more surprised to learn that Valentin had also been included on the Lucky Dragon for the trip home. Bruce was as well. Bruce he recognized as one of the few humans who had stuck up for him. He was pleased to see that he had been taken from the Clan, they were a bunch of losers and Bruce was better off without them.

Joseph saw little of Kimble on the trip to Earth, he was locked away with the others. He did witness part of the fight where Logan kicked Kimble's ass so hard. Jael couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy, he knew a lot about Siskan Courtesans. They damaged easily. Kimble would be in great pain. It was the least he would suffer. Jael next learned about Valentin's failed attempt to take over the Lucky Dragon. He was particularly upset when he saw Joseph stab him so viciously and felt the Clansman's hate for a creature he did not understand.

_Poor, Joseph, _Jael couldn't help but think_. You always were such an ignorant fool._

Jael was intrigued when he then watched a blurry playback of Kimble's files. He didn't completely understand what he was seeing. He knew these were memory files and that somehow Gambit got a free ride. They didn't show all of Kimble's history, he knew first hand that some items were missing, but there was enough there that some first hand insight would be handy. The Cajun would know Kimble pretty well, perhaps the best of all.

"Damn," Jael mumbled. "I had that little Cajun tunnel rat here not long ago. I let him go too soon."

"He can be recovered," Shakra said confidently from close by. She had anticipated Joseph's having the information they wanted and had come here, awaiting further orders. She was accompanied by Marcus and Razel.

"He left the house this morning," Marcus said, ruffling his wings a little. "Wolverine the night before, not an hour before this one."

"Gambit's too slippery, but the other...Wolverine. I want him found." His smile suddenly brightened and he said, "Actually, I'll offer you an incentive. Bring me either one in two days or less and you'll have a prize."

Marcus beamed. "And that would be?"

"A free romp with any of my Siskans, any one of your choice."

"But Master, you have so many. It would be tough to choose."

"Then you shall have more than one."

Marcus liked the sound of that. "You have a deal!"

"This all right to you, Shakra?"

"Yes, Master. I am looking forward to it," she purred and snapped her fingers at her two companions. They left.

Tanya continued her scan of Joseph but there wasn't much left. The Clansman had been locked up at the Mansion as well and saw little of any further value. He did come out however, after the virus had gone into affect. For the first time, Jael was witness to the after effect of his own mayhem. One by one the X-men and their staff all fell sick and they suffered badly. He saw Bruce as he died and Kimble's heartbreaking reaction to it. Siskans were sensitive, never so much as the ones who could "feel", the empathic ones. The Lushna-esk, they were called back on Siska, Jael knew. It was hard to watch Kimble suffer, but he would take care of that. Kimble would be well treated here. Until he was used. Until the great Game was ended.

Jael thought about what he had seen. Valentin was no great loss, but Bruce he had genuinely liked. It disturbed him and he frowned. He also witnessed Gambit's reaction upon waking and how Kimble had given great comfort to his friend. Jael now hoped his hunters would bring this one back, the thief. Gambit was sure to know more about this marvelous Siskan than anyone else.

Tanya broke the contact, having played this out to the end, and took a step back, exhausted.

"Thank you, my dear. It's always such a pleasure watching you work."

"And what of this one?" Tanya asked, smiling now. "He's all done, I think." Joseph had been reduced to a quivering mass of jellied flesh. His eyes had rolled back behind his lids and he was drooling onto the fur. He hadn't taken his "interrogation" well.

Jael snorted. "Grog hasn't fed in a while. Give this meat to him. Hope he doesn't choke on it."

----------------------------------

Charles once more sat in his office listening to more bad news. Scott was giving him an update on the situation here at the house. Joseph was gone. The Professor sent out three teams to scour the grounds, the nearby woods and even to check in town. His disappearance was puzzling. He could understand how Joseph got out of the restraints and even up to the house, but off the grounds? A check of the security cameras outside revealed nothing. Whatever happened, it occurred just out of the range of the cameras' vision. They had an elaborate defensive system, but it wasn't perfect.

He had to assume there was a possibility the Clansman was picked up by an outside party. That was very troubling because **one)** it meant the house was being watched without their knowledge, **two)** Joseph might have some knowledge of the Mansion's safety features that could be revealed to others. That one concerned him the most, mainly because Logan was now gone. No one knew the systems as well as he did. If they needed work, it would be more difficult in his absence.

Gambit was gone as well and that hurt the Professor deeply. It was like he had failed the boy in some way. He knew Remy was trying very hard to make up for his past and this was a major setback. The house was in disarray in the wake of his abrupt departure. Rogue was having a meltdown – _Thank God, Karen was here. Best thing I ever did, asking her to stay! —_ and Manny had left to visit his parents. Manny at least told him he was coming back. Manny had enjoyed his position in the school as a teacher and he wasn't going to let Rogue ruin that for him. In many ways, Manny was a lot stronger than many members of Charles' team.

Charles tried to get Rogue to discuss the nature of her argument with Remy. She said she had discovered that Gambit had been changed by Kimble somehow, more than just knowing how to speak Siskan so well. She was uncomfortable talking about it because the source of her concern was sexual in nature. After some reassurance of privacy, she revealed Gambit had acquired a restraining collar and that they had used it to make love. When Gambit was touching her so intimately, it had affected her somehow. He was making her high, giddy in a very pleasant way. She could feel his emotions, sense his intense pleasure and his love. When she confronted Remy about it, he got very defensive and secretive, things sure to set her off, and of course, they argued. That was why he had left. Charles had suspected Gambit was affected by the playback of Kimble's files much more than he let on, the mind link had been quite strong, but this he hadn't expected.

In what way was Gambit changed, the Professor wondered. Kimble supposedly possessed a charm power or some such. Some people had said Remy already had his own charm power because he could sucker anyone in with that bright smile and his teasing eyes. He had a reputation of being able to easily seduce women and get information from difficult people. He was a very good manipulator as well. Perhaps Kimble had tapped into something that already existed and amplified it.

That would be more troubling. Empathic people got swamped by the emotions of others around them. With no control, they could be slowly driven insane. Gambit had given no irrefutable sign of empathy, but he was very sympathetic towards Kimble when others pushed him away. He was very protective of Kimble and stuck up for him a lot, seeing things from a very different point of view as the rest of them. Gambit was very adept at blocking out the resident telepaths, but empathy can be more difficult to handle because it was based on emotions. He knew Gambit wasn't as strong or as secure as he made out to be, he certainly hadn't been trained on how to make mental shields that he was aware of. Charles wished that Remy hadn't left like he had. He wanted desperately to discuss this with him before things got out of hand. He knew Gambit was sensitive and self destructive. He worried he might harm himself or do something reckless and stupid.

On top of all Charles' worries was the restraining collar. Such a device could be very harmful in the wrong hands and he disliked the idea that these powerful collars had been walking around the Mansion so casually like that. Rogue told him that Gambit gotten his from Kimble. Fallen had no knowledge of this, but Seth did. When he was finally asked about it, the young Siskan apologized shyly and explained that Valentin had ordered three collars be brought on board for the return trip to Earth in case the X-men had to be subdued. He and Kimble had buried them on purpose by rearranging the supply list. Seth had forgotten about it, but apparently Kimble had not. The other two collars were collected and safely put away, as well as the one from Remy's room. Actually, the Professor was happy to have them. Those collars were very rare and very valuable. The holding cells the X-men had could contain a mutant with powers, but couldn't stop them from using them within. These collars were an added bonus to their security.

Gambit's switchblade knife, his old friend, had been also discovered when the collar was retrieved from his quarters. Jean had found it under the bed and gave it to the Professor. The Professor knew of its existence and its purpose. He thought Gambit had been done with it a long time ago, but the fact that it was found with the blade out concerned him. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved Remy had left it behind or not. He knew there were other ways Gambit could take his own life.

"You okay, Professor?" Scott asked. His mentor had been staring off into space, not really listening. Charles had been very thoughtful lately and Scott was worried.

"Yes, Scott. I'm fine. It's just that these past events trouble me. We still have no idea what Jael's up to. I see pieces of a puzzle floating around us, but not the picture itself. I don't want anyone to leave the Mansion alone, everyone gets an escort."

"Yes, Professor."

"Any luck in tracking Remy or Wolverine?"

"Gambit's evaporated — no surprise there --- but Logan's in upstate New York, cruising around."

"Send someone up to keep an eye on him. Don't confront him, just watch. Whoever may have nabbed Joseph might start looking for a more valuable target."


	10. Chapter 10

(Ten)

Logan had been cruising down the road, the wind blowing through his hair, when trouble found him. He had come upstate like this because he just had to get away. He wanted to be surrounded by trees and smell some real air. He was working on the second day of a rip roaring drinking binge and was having a great time. He should have up and gone a long time ago. It was full dark, the roads lit by a huge full moon so bright, he had no trouble seeing where he was going even with no street lights around. _My kinda place_, he was thinking, _Wild an' free, just like me._

He was in full relax mode when he was struck by tiny needle like barbs. He barely had time to utter the prerequisite curses before the toxins turned his body to mush and he lay the bike down hard at top speed, nearly flaying his backside down to the bone before he stopped. He'd left a trail of gore and leather almost for almost fifty feet. He had worn a helmet only so the cops wouldn't pull him over, but it paid off this time -- his head was still attached to his body. Regardless, the pain from his forced landing was unbelievable, the drugs hadn't stopped him from feeling any of that oh, no. That would have been too much to ask for.

His vision blurred and he barely registered Shakra as she stood over him, blocking out the moonlight above him. Jael's team had been tracking him. He wasn't a difficult man to find so long as you checked all the biker bars in the area. "Hey there, handsome," she purred and brushed his cheek.

"Don't tell me this guy's still alive?" her partner in crime asked, incredulous.

"Of course he is, Thomas. He's Wolverine."

"Holy Christ! We are so fucking dead! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you would whine just like this. Don't worry, he may not be out but he's down. Razel, you there?"

"Coming, dear," Razel chirped, pleasant as ever as he 'ported right beside her. "Oh, my. This one's seen better days. He smells!"

"Gonna...kill...alla...you..." Logan slurred, still unable to move.

"Well, we'd best be going then," Razel said, shivering with artificial fear. He laughed and away they went.

--------------------------------

Logan came to a few moments later. He was still heavily drugged, but was now chained to a table in a room with walls of carved stone. The room was dimly lit with torches and kind on his eyes, he was hung over from the booze and Shakra's drugs. He tried to move, but was fixed firmly on his back. It was like the air was made of Jello, he could hardly breathe and barely even move. He could feel a metal collar on his neck, no doubt some kind of inhibiting device, but it didn't seem to be turned on at the moment. His back was one huge agonizing itch, which was good. He was healing.

All of his senses were intact as well. He saw the walls around him were made of carved stone and he could smell the Morlock tunnels all around him. He would never forget the smell of that place, not as long as he lived. He was back there again somehow, he was certain of it. He had a feeling he had booked the same trip that Remy had taken earlier and he was now in Jael's lair. Remy had been right to look down under Manhattan where the Morlocks had lived. Somehow the thief's efforts had been thwarted.

He was in some kind of laboratory, he could see medical machines and first aid supplies. His eyes narrowed when he spotted a large quantity of black Siskan hologram cubes stacked neatly on a table against the wall. What were those doing here? Jael was looking for Kimble, but that was some kind of mistake right? Perhaps not. There were a lot of cubes there, far more than one 'gram would ever need. Guardians. Kimble supposedly was a Guardian. There were many Guardians, that's what Anya said. How many? Looked like Jael thought there were a lot and wanted to be ready.

He squinted as bright light blasted his eyes when the door to his room suddenly opened.

"Well, I see you've awakened," someone spoke in a deep rumble.

The light dimmed and Logan could make out the figure of a man with the head of a lion.

"Jael?"

"At your service. Now I hope you'll be at mine," the man replied, coming closer and into the light. He was indeed a Dognan half breed as Remy had said. His body was covered with Clan tattoos.

"Go...fuck...yerself..."

"Tsk, tsk. How rude. And after all the effort I went through to bring you here."

"Whatcha...want..from...me..?"

"Information."

"What makes...ya think... I know anything...ya wanna know?" Logan wheezed. Damn it was so hard to breathe like this!

"I picked up a friend of yours. Does the name Joseph ring any bells, huh?"

"No..." Logan lied, trying to work the mess in his mind. He had no idea why Jael would even care about the Clansman or even have the desire to speak with him.

"Too bad. Seems he knew you well enough. At least he did before he died. He had an unfortunate accident with a dear pet of mine, Grog. He won't trouble us any more, ever. He was quite informative, before his demise. I had a telepath pick his brain. Looks like you had quite an adventure not long ago. Had a taste of fine Clan hospitality. Picked up a few new friends. I would like very much to know them better. Tell me about Kimble."

Logan snorted. "Yeah...that'll...happen."

"Oh, come on, my dear fellow. It's my understanding the two of you had something of a falling out. What do you care what happens to him?"

"Fuck you...I ain't..tellin' you...anything!"

"We'll see about that. I'd like you to meet Tanya. Tanya, meet Wolverine."

A slim, pretty woman bent down into view. She was a striking brunette and moved with a feline, animal grace. In another world, in another place, he might have asked her out. Now all he wanted to do was kill her. "Hello, there," she said softly, lightly touching his face. He tried to bite her, but she jerked away easily and without fear. "Easy there, fella. I won't hurt you."

She was lying and Wolverine knew it. He gasped when he felt her jump into his mind as if he had invited her there himself. He snarled and tried to move, but the drugs and chains held him. "Get outta my head, ya bitch!"

"Don't try to fight me, Wolverine," Jael said, his voice surprisingly compassionate. "You'll only make this harder than it has to be. I want you to tell me everything you know about Kimble."

"He's dead!" Logan growled, frothing a little at the mouth as he struggled.

"Not quite, nor do I truly believe you think this is so. He survived being melted by an oversized plasma burst, my friend. I assure you that warehouse fire didn't even touch him. Kyle Franks brought him out intact. But you knew this already, correct?"

"Liar! Bishop's guys were nuthin' but chunks all over the place!" Wolverine snarled. It would be better if Jael thought Kimble was dead, but it was painfully obvious that Jael's intel was as good as his own if not better. Jael must have spies all over, good ones.

"Pity about the warehouse. It seems Kimble had something of a nervous twitch. That sort of thing usually happens when you have your self esteem ripped to shreds. Care to elaborate on how that might have happened?"

"Fuck you!"

Jael just smiled. Logan couldn't know just how vast his spy network actually was. He had a mole in Cameron's camp, someone quite close to Kimble actually. Michael had proven to be his best investment ever and he couldn't have been prouder of the man. Michael had been one of his first recruits and the most loyal. He had been living in Cameron's camp for a couple years now. He had been placed there as soon as Jael first caught word of the Game and had learned that a Guardian or two might show up here. Any one of the mutant factions was sure to find them and Jael wanted to know right away. Michael's intelligence had also helped him keep tabs on the events going on in the city and on some of the things happening at Xavier's that came through on Cameron Bishop's grapevine. So far, Jael hadn't been able to plant a spy in the X-men's camp. It wouldn't stop him from trying.

On top of this, he did possess someone with the Sight just as Gambit suspected. He had found a talented Seer named Charlotte. She wasn't quite as old as Anya, but just as clever. He wasn't like Cameron Bishop, relying solely on her talents. No, Jael was no fool. He backed up her visions with facts as much as possible. It had saved him and made him the powerful man he was today.

"Tanya?" Jael said, breaking out of his thoughts and getting back to work.

Logan jerked again as he felt her walking around through his psyche some more. He yelped loudly in shock as he was blasted with a bright light. He blinked and then found himself in the foyer of a large empty house. He had been moved somehow, teleported. No. This was much, much worse. He shuddered in fear. He recognized this house as the framework designed by Weapon X when they fragmented his memory. He was in his own mind, lying on the floor and looking up at a ceiling that wasn't real. Long corridors branched out in all directions lined with rooms with locked doors. He stood up and turned when he saw Tanya materialize beside him. He lunged for her defensively, but was blocked by some kind of invisible barrier.

"Don't be afraid, James," she whispered softly.

"That ain't my name."

She raised her hand and twirled a large ring of keys. "I am Tanya, but I am also known as the Keymaster. There isn't a mind or a locked door that can keep me out."

"Better men than you have tried, darlin'. You ain't gettin' nuthin' outta me!"

She just smiled at him indulgently and walked down the closest corridor. "I see you've had quite the mental make over. Those guys at Weapon X must have earned every dollar. It won't keep me out. You're not the first of theirs I've cracked."

Logan followed her, trembling with real fear. He had lived with a broken mind for so long, he wasn't sure who he really was any more. He was fiercely territorial and didn't want her here, but at the same time there was so much he didn't know.

She turned to face him. "Are you going to tell me what Jael wants to know?"

"Why's he so interested in Kimble?"

She smiled. "Because he wants to win the Game."

"What Game?"

"Tell me about Kimble."

"No."

"Last chance. Tell me now or pay the price."

"You can't touch me, lady. I'm the best there is."

"At killing perhaps. But not this."

She paced a few more doors, twirling her keys. "Now...where to begin. At the beginning, I suppose."

Wolverine trailed her, but couldn't come any closer than a couple of feet from her. They walked to a large central circular room. On the floor was a large X in a circle, a huge pressure plate in the center. It was an elaborate locked door, one that Charles Xavier himself had never been able to get past.

"And what is this?" she asked.

"A whole world of trouble," Logan growled.

"Well, this gaudy thing will have to go," she complained and took a key from the ring. There was a small keyhole next to the pressure plate. Logan was amazed and horrified when the key not only went in, but turned the lock.

"Hey!" he shouted, but was too late.

There was a loud exaggerated sound of a huge key turning and Logan was sucked into the whirlwind once more as the huge trap door in the floor fell open and he was falling...falling!

To be continued in Truths


End file.
